Selective Ingestion and Egestion of Plastic Particles by the Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis) and Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica): Implications for Using Bivalves as Bioindicators of Microplastic Pollution

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (15) ◽  
pp. 8776-8784 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Evan Ward ◽  
Shiye Zhao ◽  
Bridget A. Holohan ◽  
Kayla M. Mladinich ◽  
Tyler W. Griffin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mytilus Edulis ◽  
Crassostrea Virginica ◽  
Blue Mussel ◽  
Eastern Oyster

scholarly journals Extracellular Vesicles and Post-Translational Protein Deimination Signatures in Mollusca—The Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis), Soft Shell Clam (Mya arenaria), Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and Atlantic Jacknife Clam (Ensis leei)

Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 416
Author(s):  
Timothy J. Bowden ◽  
Igor Kraev ◽  
Sigrun Lange
Keyword(s):  
Mytilus Edulis ◽  
Crassostrea Virginica ◽  
Blue Mussel ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Pdz Domain ◽  
Eastern Oyster ◽  
Mya Arenaria ◽  
Beta Catenin ◽  
Soft Shell Clam ◽  
Soft Shell

Oysters and clams are important for food security and of commercial value worldwide. They are affected by anthropogenic changes and opportunistic pathogens and can be indicators of changes in ocean environments. Therefore, studies into biomarker discovery are of considerable value. This study aimed at assessing extracellular vesicle (EV) signatures and post-translational protein deimination profiles of hemolymph from four commercially valuable Mollusca species, the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis), soft shell clam (Mya arenaria), Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica), and Atlantic jacknife clam (Ensis leei). EVs form part of cellular communication by transporting protein and genetic cargo and play roles in immunity and host–pathogen interactions. Protein deimination is a post-translational modification caused by peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs), and can facilitate protein moonlighting in health and disease. The current study identified hemolymph-EV profiles in the four Mollusca species, revealing some species differences. Deiminated protein candidates differed in hemolymph between the species, with some common targets between all four species (e.g., histone H3 and H4, actin, and GAPDH), while other hits were species-specific; in blue mussel these included heavy metal binding protein, heat shock proteins 60 and 90, 2-phospho-D-glycerate hydrolyase, GTP cyclohydrolase feedback regulatory protein, sodium/potassium-transporting ATPase, and fibrinogen domain containing protein. In soft shell clam specific deimination hits included dynein, MCM3-associated protein, and SCRN. In Eastern oyster specific deimination hits included muscle LIM protein, beta-1,3-glucan-binding protein, myosin heavy chain, thaumatin-like protein, vWFA domain-containing protein, BTB domain-containing protein, amylase, and beta-catenin. Deiminated proteins specific to Atlantic jackknife clam included nacre c1q domain-containing protein and PDZ domain-containing protein In addition, some proteins were common as deiminated targets between two or three of the Bivalvia species under study (e.g., EP protein, C1q domain containing protein, histone H2B, tubulin, elongation factor 1-alpha, dominin, extracellular superoxide dismutase). Protein interaction network analysis for the deiminated protein hits revealed major pathways relevant for immunity and metabolism, providing novel insights into post-translational regulation via deimination. The study contributes to EV characterization in diverse taxa and understanding of roles for PAD-mediated regulation of immune and metabolic pathways throughout phylogeny.

scholarly journals Gut Microbiomes of the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and the Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis): Temporal Variation and the Influence of Marine Aggregate-Associated Microbial Communities

mSphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa L. Pierce ◽  
J. Evan Ward
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Temporal Variation ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Mytilus Edulis ◽  
Crassostrea Virginica ◽  
Blue Mussel ◽  
Eastern Oyster ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Marine Aggregate ◽  
Gut Microbial Community

ABSTRACT Gut microbial community structure was evaluated for two species of bivalve molluscs, the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) collected from Long Island Sound, Connecticut, over the course of a year. These bivalves utilize a shared feeding mechanism, which may result in similar gut microbial communities. Their particle diet, marine aggregates, and surrounding environment, aggregate-free seawater (AFSW), were also collected for comparison. Due to the suspension-feeding activities of bivalves, the potential for aggregate- and AFSW-associated microbiota to influence their microbial communities may be significant. Both taxonomic and functional diversity of the samples were assessed. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing indicated that oysters and mussels maintained similar, but not identical, gut microbiomes, with some temporal variation. Throughout the year, bivalve species had gut microbial community compositions that were more similar to one another than to aggregates. Within a month, bivalves shared on average a quarter of their total operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with each other and a 10th of their total OTUs with aggregates. During months with warm water temperatures, individuals within each of the four sample types had similar alpha diversity, but again, temporal variation was observed. On a functional level, bivalve gut microbial communities exhibited variation attributed to host species and season. Unlike oysters, mussel gut bacterial communities maintained high richness and evenness values throughout the year, even when values for the particle diet and AFSW were reduced. Overall, a core gut bivalve microbiome was present, and it was partially influenced by the marine aggregate microbial community. IMPORTANCE This work investigates the influence that extrinsic factors, diet, and the environment can have on the microbiomes of shellfish. Over the course of a year, the gut microbial communities of two species of bivalves, oysters and mussels, held under identical conditions in coastal marine waters were compared. While the mussels and oysters harbored gut microbial communities with similar composition, on a functional level, they exhibited species and temporal variation. These results indicate that intrinsic factors influence the bivalve microbiome, resulting in species variability, even when environmental conditions, feeding mechanism, and particle diet are constant. Seasonal and multispecies comparisons for bivalve-associated microbial communities are rare, and we believe this research represents an important contribution. The results presented here advance our understanding of the symbiotic interactions between marine invertebrates, the microbial communities they harbor, and the environment.

Effects of resuspension of eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica biodeposits on phytoplankton community structure

2020 ◽  
Vol 640 ◽  
pp. 79-105
Author(s):  
ET Porter ◽  
E Robins ◽  
S Davis ◽  
R Lacouture ◽  
JC Cornwell
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Crassostrea Virginica ◽  
Skeletonema Costatum ◽  
Eastern Oyster ◽  
Energy Dissipation Rate ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Cell Densities ◽  
Sediment Bottom ◽  
Nitrite Nitrate

Anthropogenic disturbances in the Chesapeake Bay (USA) have depleted eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica abundance and altered the estuary’s environment and water quality. Efforts to rehabilitate oyster populations are underway; however, the effect of oyster biodeposits on water quality and plankton community structure are not clear. In July 2017, we used 6 shear turbulence resuspension mesocosms (STURMs) to determine differences in plankton composition with and without the daily addition of oyster biodeposits to a muddy sediment bottom. STURM systems had a volume-weighted root mean square turbulent velocity of 1.08 cm s-1, energy dissipation rate of ~0.08 cm2 s-3, and bottom shear stress of ~0.36-0.51 Pa during mixing-on periods during 4 wk of tidal resuspension. Phytoplankton increased their chlorophyll a content in their cells in response to low light in tanks with biodeposits. The diatom Skeletonema costatum bloomed and had significantly longer chains in tanks without biodeposits. These tanks also had significantly lower concentrations of total suspended solids, zooplankton carbon, and nitrite +nitrate, and higher phytoplankton carbon concentrations. Results suggest that the absence of biodeposit resuspension initiates nitrogen uptake for diatom reproduction, increasing the cell densities of S. costatum. The low abundance of the zooplankton population in non-biodeposit tanks suggests an inability of zooplankton to graze on S. costatum and negative effects of S. costatum on zooplankton. A high abundance of the copepod Acartia tonsa in biodeposit tanks may have reduced S. costatum chain length. Oyster biodeposit addition and resuspension efficiently transferred phytoplankton carbon to zooplankton carbon, thus supporting the food web in the estuary.

scholarly journals Differential Segregation Patterns of Sperm Mitochondria in Embryos of the Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis)

Genetics ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 166 (2) ◽  
pp. 883-894
Author(s):  
Liqin Cao ◽  
Ellen Kenchington ◽  
Eleftherios Zouros
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
Mytilus Edulis ◽  
Blue Mussel ◽  
Uniparental Inheritance ◽  
Male Gonad ◽  
Doubly Uniparental Inheritance ◽  
Organelle Genomes ◽  
Somatic Tissues ◽  
Tight Linkage ◽  
Mitotracker Green

Abstract In Mytilus, females carry predominantly maternal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) but males carry maternal mtDNA in their somatic tissues and paternal mtDNA in their gonads. This phenomenon, known as doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) of mtDNA, presents a major departure from the uniparental transmission of organelle genomes. Eggs of Mytilus edulis from females that produce exclusively daughters and from females that produce mostly sons were fertilized with sperm stained with MitoTracker Green FM, allowing observation of sperm mitochondria in the embryo by epifluorescent and confocal microscopy. In embryos from females that produce only daughters, sperm mitochondria are randomly dispersed among blastomeres. In embryos from females that produce mostly sons, sperm mitochondria tend to aggregate and end up in one blastomere in the two- and four-cell stages. We postulate that the aggregate eventually ends up in the first germ cells, thus accounting for the presence of paternal mtDNA in the male gonad. This is the first evidence for different behaviors of sperm mitochondria in developing embryos that may explain the tight linkage between gender and inheritance of paternal mitochondrial DNA in species with DUI.

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