Assessing the Toxicity of Lagocephalus sceleratus Pufferfish from the Southeastern Aegean Sea and the Relationship of Tetrodotoxin with Gonadal Hormones.

Given the dramatic increase in the L. sceleratus population in the southeastern Aegean Sea, there is growing interest in assessing the toxicity of this pufferfish and the factors controlling its tetrodotoxin (TTX) content. In the present study, liver, gonads, muscle and skin of 37 L. sceleratus specimens collected during May and June 2021 from the island of Rhodes, Greece, were subjected to multi-analyte profiling using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in order to quantitate TTX and evaluate whether this biotoxin interrelates with hormones. TTX and its analogues 4-epiTTX, 11-deoxyTTX, 11-norTTX-6-ol, 4,9-anhydroTTX and 5,11/6,11-dideoxyTTX were detected in all tissue types. Liver and gonads were the most toxic tissues, with the highest TTX concentrations being observed in the ovaries of female specimens. Only 22% of the analyzed muscle samples were non-toxic according to the Japanese toxicity threshold (2.2 µg TTX eq g-1), confirming the high poisoning risk from the inadvertent consumption of this species. Four steroid hormones (i.e., cortisol, testosterone, androstenedione and ß-estradiol) and the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) were detected in the gonads. Androstenedione dominated in female specimens, while GnRH was more abundant in males. A positive correlation of TTX and its analogues with ß-estradiol was observed. However, a model incorporating sex rather than ß-estradiol as the independent variable proven to be more efficient in predicting TTX concentration, implying that other sex-related characteristics are more important than specific hormone-regulated processes.

Distribution of aliphatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorinated pollutants in deep-sea sediments of the Southern Cretan margin, Eastern Mediterranean Sea: a baseline assessment.

Deep sediments from the southern Cretan margin were analyzed to establish baseline levels for various types of organic pollutants before the anticipated intensification of anthropogenic activities. The total concentration of aliphatic hydrocarbons (ΣAH:326-3758ngg(-1), dry weight) was similar to those reported for deep sediments of the western Mediterranean Sea, while considerably lower levels were measured for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (ΣPAH:9-60ngg(-1)). Source-diagnostic ratios suggested that the aliphatic hydrocarbons in sediments were mainly of terrestrial biogenic origin, while polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons stemmed from the deposition of long-range transported combustion aerosols. Among the organochlorinated compounds analyzed, ß-hexachlorocyclohexane (ß-HCH:222-7052pgg(-1)), 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p'-DDT:37-2236pgg(-1)) and polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣPCB:38-1182pgg(-1)) showed the highest abundance in sediments. The presence of HCHs and PCBs was attributed to historical inputs that have undergone extensive weathering, whereas an ongoing fresh input was suggested for p,p'-DDT. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the levels of the various pollutants in sediments were controlled by different factors, but with organic carbon content playing a prominent role in most cases.

Benthic molluscan macrofauna structure in heavily trawled sediments (Thermaikos Gulf, North Aegean Sea): spatiotemporal patterns.

BACKGROUND: Spatio-temporal patterns on benthic molluscan macrofauna structure and function (feeding guilds) were investigated in a commercial fishing ground in Thermaikos Gulf (N Aegean Sea). Fishery management measures in this area include a trawling period of 8 months per year (October to May). Macrofauna samples were collected before and after 30 and 120 days of the commencement of the trawling period (temporal axis) along a southward transect (spatial axis) and down through the sediment profile (vertical axis). RESULTS: Main results revealed no recognizable changes in community diversity and structure at temporal scales. This finding can probably be attributed to the fact that the examined communities are subjected to continuous disturbances deriving from multiple natural and anthropogenic stressors acting simultaneously in Thermaikos Gulf. Molluscan assemblages were already stressed before the commencement of the trawling period, indicating that the time period in which bottom trawling is prohibited is not sufficient for the recovery of benthic communities. Significant shifts in the trophic structure of molluscan assemblages were also detected. The direct mortality of herbivorous species and the loss of filter feeding organisms may be attributed to the passage of the fishing gear and to sediment re-suspension, respectively. Trawling disturbance may have created the observed vertical patterns of the community structure since hauling induces profound changes in the geochemical profile of the sediment. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings sustained the notion that bottom trawling, alongside with other types of human induced stressors, can have considerable effects on the structure and function of the benthic domain. Therefore, our results highlighted the need of an Ecosystem Based Fishery Management (EBFM) perspective in Thermaikos Gulf to ensure both fisheries and ecosystem sustainability.

Phylogenetic diversity of sediment bacteria from the deep Northeastern Pacific Ocean: a comparison with the deep Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The variability of bacterial community composition and diversity was studied by comparative analysis of five 16S rRNA gene clone libraries from deep-sea sediments (water column depth: 4000 m) of the Northeastern Pacific Ocean and Eastern Mediterranean Sea. This is the first comparison of the bacterial communities living in these deep-sea ecosystems. The estimated chlorophyll a, organic carbon, and C/N ratio provided evidence of significant differences in the trophic state of the sediments between the Northeastern Pacific Ocean and the much warmer Eastern Mediterranean Sea. A diverse range of 16S rRNA gene phylotypes was found in the sediments of both regions. These were represented by 11 different taxonomic groups, with Gammaproteobacteria predominating in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean sediments and Acidobacteria in the Eastern Mediterranean microbial community. In addition, several 16S rRNA gene phylotypes only distantly related to any of the previously identified sequences (non-affiliated rRNA genes) represented a significant fraction of the total sequences. The potential diversity at the two sites differs but remains largely unexplored and remains of continuing scientific interest.

Phylogenetic diversity of sediment bacteria from the deep Northeastern Pacific Ocean: a comparison with the deep Eastern Mediterranean Sea

The variability of bacterial community composition and diversity was studied by comparative analysis of five 16S rRNA gene clone libraries from deep-sea sediments (water column depth: 4000 m) of the Northeastern Pacific Ocean and Eastern Mediterranean Sea. This is the first comparison of the bacterial communities living in these deep-sea ecosystems. The estimated chlorophyll a, organic carbon, and C/N ratio provided evidence of significant differences in the trophic state of the sediments between the Northeastern Pacific Ocean and the much warmer Eastern Mediterranean Sea. A diverse range of 16S rRNA gene phylotypes was found in the sediments of both regions. These were represented by 11 different taxonomic groups, with Gammaproteobacteria predominating in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean sediments and Acidobacteria in the Eastern Mediterranean microbial community. In addition, several 16S rRNA gene phylotypes only distantly related to any of the previously identified sequences (non-affiliated rRNA genes) represented a significant fraction of the total sequences. The potential diversity at the two sites differs but remains largely unexplored and remains of continuing scientific interest (AU)

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Deep-sea biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea: the known, the unknown, and the unknowable.

Deep-sea ecosystems represent the largest biome of the global biosphere, but knowledge of their biodiversity is still scant. The Mediterranean basin has been proposed as a hot spot of terrestrial and coastal marine biodiversity but has been supposed to be impoverished of deep-sea species richness. We summarized all available information on benthic biodiversity (Prokaryotes, Foraminifera, Meiofauna, Macrofauna, and Megafauna) in different deep-sea ecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea (200 to more than 4,000 m depth), including open slopes, deep basins, canyons, cold seeps, seamounts, deep-water corals and deep-hypersaline anoxic basins and analyzed overall longitudinal and bathymetric patterns. We show that in contrast to what was expected from the sharp decrease in organic carbon fluxes and reduced faunal abundance, the deep-sea biodiversity of both the eastern and the western basins of the Mediterranean Sea is similarly high. All of the biodiversity components, except Bacteria and Archaea, displayed a decreasing pattern with increasing water depth, but to a different extent for each component. Unlike patterns observed for faunal abundance, highest negative values of the slopes of the biodiversity patterns were observed for Meiofauna, followed by Macrofauna and Megafauna. Comparison of the biodiversity associated with open slopes, deep basins, canyons, and deep-water corals showed that the deep basins were the least diverse. Rarefaction curves allowed us to estimate the expected number of species for each benthic component in different bathymetric ranges. A large fraction of exclusive species was associated with each specific habitat or ecosystem. Thus, each deep-sea ecosystem contributes significantly to overall biodiversity. From theoretical extrapolations we estimate that the overall deep-sea Mediterranean biodiversity (excluding prokaryotes) reaches approximately 2805 species of which about 66% is still undiscovered. Among the biotic components investigated (Prokaryotes excluded), most of the unknown species are within the phylum Nematoda, followed by Foraminifera, but an important fraction of macrofaunal and megafaunal species also remains unknown. Data reported here provide new insights into the patterns of biodiversity in the deep-sea Mediterranean and new clues for future investigations aimed at identifying the factors controlling and threatening deep-sea biodiversity.

Phylogenetic diversity of sediment bacteria from the southern Cretan margin, Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

This study is the first culture-independent report on the regional variability of bacterial diversity in oxic sediments from the unexplored southern Cretan margin (SCM). Three main deep basins (water column depths: 2670-3603m), located at the mouth of two submarine canyons (Samaria Gorge and Paximades Channel) and an adjacent slope system, as well as two shallow upper-slope stations (water column depths: 215 and 520m), were sampled. A total of 454 clones were sequenced and the bacterial richness, estimated through five clone libraries using rarefaction analysis, ranged from 71 to 296 unique phylotypes. The average sequence identity of the retrieved Cretan margin sequences compared to the >1,000,000 known rRNA sequences was only 93.5%. A diverse range of prokaryotes was found in the sediments, which were represented by 15 different taxonomic groups at the phylum level. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that these new sequences grouped with the phyla Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes, Actinobacteria, Gamma-, Alpha- and Delta-proteobacteria. Only a few bacterial clones were affiliated with Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Gemmatimonadetes, Verrucomicrobia, Nitrospirae, Beta-proteobacteria, Lentisphaerae and Dictyoglomi. A large fraction of the retrieved sequences (12%) did not fall into any taxonomic division previously characterized by molecular criteria, whereas four novel division-level lineages, termed candidate division SCMs, were identified. Bacterial community composition demonstrated significant differences in comparison to previous phylogenetic studies. This divergence was mainly triggered by the dominance of Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria and reflected a bacterial community different from that currently known for oxic and pristine marine sediments.

Particle size distribution of airborne microorganisms and pathogens during an Intense African dust event in the eastern Mediterranean.

BACKGROUND: The distribution of microorganisms, and especially pathogens, over airborne particles of different sizes has been ignored to a large extent, but it could have significant implications regarding the dispersion of these microorganisms across the planet, thus affecting human health. OBJECTIVES: We examined the microbial quality of the aerosols over the eastern Mediterranean region during an African storm to determine the size distribution of microorganisms in the air. METHODS: We used a five-stage cascade impactor for bioaerosol collection in a coastal city on the eastern Mediterranean Sea during a north African dust storm. Bacterial communities associated with aerosol particles of six different size ranges were characterized following molecular culture-independent methods, regardless of the cell culturability (analysis of 16S rRNA genes). RESULTS: All 16S rDNA clone libraries were diverse, including sequences commonly found in soil and marine ecosystems. Spore-forming bacteria such as Firmicutes dominated large particle sizes (> 3.3 microm), whereas clones affiliated with Actinobacteria (found commonly in soil) and Bacteroidetes (widely distributed in the environment) gradually increased their abundance in aerosol particles of reduced size (< 3.3 microm). A large portion of the clones detected at respiratory particle sizes (< 3.3 microm) were phylogenetic neighbors to human pathogens that have been linked to several diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of aerosolized bacteria in small size particles may have significant implications to human health via intercontinental transportation of pathogens.

Carbon speciation and composition of natural microbial communities in polluted and pristine sediments of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Sediment samples collected from polluted (Augusta Bay) and pristine regions of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (South Ionian Sea, Thracian Sea) were analyzed for black carbon, aliphatic hydrocarbons and phospholipid ester-linked fatty acids (PLFA). The aim of the study was to investigate the anthropogenic and biogenic inputs into the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and to evaluate the effects of refractory organic matter (e.g. black carbon) and the level of hydrocarbon contamination on benthic microbial community composition. Black carbon, generally considered to be chemically and biologically inert, comprised a significant but highly variable fraction of the sedimentary carbon pool in the analyzed sediments with a ratio to total organic carbon ranging from 0.02 to 0.66. Principal component analysis of the chemical characteristics of the sediments (organic carbon content, black carbon, bioavailable organic carbon, chlorophyll a, phaeopigments, aliphatic hydrocarbons) revealed clustering of samples along a gradient from the most productive and contaminated region of Augusta Bay to the carbon-poor and pristine sediments of the Thracian Sea. PLFA analysis revealed that gram-negative bacteria and microeukaryotes were most abundant in Augusta Bay and in the most impacted station of the Thracian Sea. The high levels of branched and odd-chain fatty acids recorded for these stations is probably linked to the elevated amounts of hydrocarbons at these stations; e.g. microbial communities may have developed the ability to degrade either naturally occurring aliphatic hydrocarbons or hydrocarbons derived from oil contamination.

Stratified prokaryote network in the oxic-anoxic transition of a deep-sea halocline.

The chemical composition of the Bannock basin has been studied in some detail. We recently showed that unusual microbial populations, including a new division of Archaea (MSBL1), inhabit the NaCl-rich hypersaline brine. High salinities tend to reduce biodiversity, but when brines come into contact with fresher water the natural haloclines formed frequently contain gradients of other chemicals, including permutations of electron donors and acceptors, that may enhance microbial diversity, activity and biogeochemical cycling. Here we report a 2.5-m-thick chemocline with a steep NaCl gradient at 3.3 km within the water column betweeen Bannock anoxic hypersaline brine and overlying sea water. The chemocline supports some of the most biomass-rich and active microbial communities in the deep sea, dominated by Bacteria rather than Archaea, and including four major new divisions of Bacteria. Significantly higher metabolic activities were measured in the chemocline than in the overlying sea water and underlying brine; functional analyses indicate that a range of biological processes is likely to occur in the chemocline. Many prokaryotic taxa, including the phylogenetically new groups, were confined to defined salinities, and collectively formed a diverse, sharply stratified, deep-sea ecosystem with sufficient biomass to potentially contribute to organic geological deposits.

Bacterial community composition in different sediments from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: a comparison of four 16S ribosomal DNA clone libraries.

The regional variability of sediment bacterial community composition and diversity was studied by comparative analysis of four large 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) clone libraries from sediments in different regions of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (Thermaikos Gulf, Cretan Sea, and South lonian Sea). Amplified rDNA restriction analysis of 664 clones from the libraries indicate that the rDNA richness and evenness was high: for example, a near-1:1 relationship among screened clones and number of unique restriction patterns when up to 190 clones were screened for each library. Phylogenetic analysis of 207 bacterial 16S rDNA sequences from the sediment libraries demonstrated that Gamma-, Delta-, and Alphaproteobacteria, Holophaga/Acidobacteria, Planctomycetales, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Verrucomicrobia were represented in all four libraries. A few clones also grouped with the Betaproteobacteria, Nitrospirae, Spirochaetales, Chlamydiae, Firmicutes, and candidate division OPl 1. The abundance of sequences affiliated with Gammaproteobacteria was higher in libraries from shallow sediments in the Thermaikos Gulf (30 m) and the Cretan Sea (100 m) compared to the deeper South Ionian station (2790 m). Most sequences in the four sediment libraries clustered with uncultured 16S rDNA phylotypes from marine habitats, and many of the closest matches were clones from hydrocarbon seeps, benzene-mineralizing consortia, sulfate reducers, sulk oxidizers, and ammonia oxidizers. LIBSHUFF statistics of 16S rDNA gene sequences from the four libraries revealed major differences, indicating either a very high richness in the sediment bacterial communities or considerable variability in bacterial community composition among regions, or both.