Selective sensitivity of the Black Sea microalgae to viral infection after exposure to a constant magnetic field

The change in sensitivity to viral infection of cultures of three species of Black Sea microalgae (Tetraselmis viridis, Dunaliella viridis and Phaeodactylum tricornutum) after exposure to a constant unidirectional magnetic field with a magnetic induction of 600 G is experimentally studied. The studies were carried out with using a developed laboratory installation. With the duration of the experiments 24 h and 48 h, it was recorded that being in a magnetic field resulted in an increase in the resistance to viral lysis in microalgae T. viridis, its decrease in P. tricornutum and no changes in D. viridis. We assume that the revealed changes in the sensitivity of microalgae to viral infection after exposure to a magnetic field are due to their species characteristics and selectivity.

Changes in infectious titer of Black sea algal virus of the microalgae tetraselmis viridis under the influence of a constant magnetic field

In three experiments aimed at studying the effect of a constant magnetic field with a magnetic induction of 600 G and a duration of experiments of 24 and 36 h, it was found that with a low initial titer of the algal virus of the microalgae Tetraselmis viridis, its stay in a magnetic field for 24 h led to an increase in the infectious titer by one order of magnitude. However, when the virus with a higher infectious titer was in a magnetic field for 24 h, no changes in the titer were observed, and after 36 h, its decrease by one order of magnitude was recorded. The results obtained indicate the need for further research in this direction, with using a wider range of algal viruses.

Monitoring of Black Sea algal viruses Tetraselmis viridis and Phaeodactylum tricornutum in bays of Sevastopol as a component of ecological monitoring of the studied aquatories

Virus monitoring is a widespread control of their background circulation. Since 2002, the monitoring of algal viruses that infect microalgae Tetraselmis viridis and Phaeodactylum tricornutum has been carried out in the bays of Sevastopol differing in ecological conditions. The purpose of this work is to analyze and assess the results of this long-term (2002–2020) monitoring. The results obtained with taking into account the exactingness or resistance to environmental conditions of hosts of algal viruses that infect microalgae T. viridis and P. tricornutum were the basis for the following conclusions regarding the ecological well-being of the studied bays of Sevastopol: – relatively favorable ecological conditions in 2007–2008, 2017–2018 and in 2020. (maximum frequency of isolation PtV, and/or minimum TvV, and / or maximum difference in frequency of isolation between PtV and TvV); – unfavorable ecological conditions in 2002–2003, 2006 and 2015 (maximum frequency of isolation TvV, and/or minimum PtV, and/or maximum difference in frequency of isolation between TvV and PtV). Analysis of the monitoring results of algal viruses of T. viridis and P. tricornutum in 2015–2020 revealed that the studied relatively ecologically safe bays are characterized by the maximum number of all isolates of algal viruses (both TvV and PtV) and the numerical predominance of strains of algal virus of P. tricornutum, which is demanding to environmental conditions. At the same time, the minimum amount of all viral isolates was recorded in the ecologically unfavorable bay. The results of a long-term monitoring of algal viruses of T. viridis and P. tricornutum have established the possibility of using the monitoring of marine viruses, in particular of algal viruses of microalgae which are indicative of the ecological situation, as a component of complex ecological monitoring as ecological indicator.

Influence of mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis exometabolites on R-phycoerythrin concentration in red alga Gelidium spinosum when grown in polyculture

To increase R-phycoerythrin concentration in red Black Sea alga Gelidium spinosum (S. G. Gmelin) P. C. Silva, 1996 (Rhodophyta), it was cultivated in laboratory conditions in polyculture microalga Tetraselmis viridis – mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis – Gelidium; the results of the study are presented. The positive effect of mussel exometabolites on R-phycoerythrin concentration in Gelidium in polyculture is described. The relevance of the work is determined by the value of R-phycoerythrin, which is used as a powerful antioxidant, as well as a marker in cytometry and microscopy. The aim of the study is to increase R-phycoerythrin concentration in Gelidium using the polyculture method. As a material, Gelidium from the fouling of rocks and coastal protection structures of Karantinnaya Bay (Sevastopol) was used; it was cultivated in a laboratory installation with eight working volumes, four of which contained mussels. Mussel decontamination, supplemented with mineral salts and biogens, was used as a nutrient medium for Gelidium. The combination of mussel exometabolites with previously developed nutrient medium, based on Black Sea water and enriched with nutrients and mineral salts, results in an increase in R-phycoerythrin concentration by more than 2 times, while the addition of exometabolites to pure filtered seawater increases it maximum by 35 %. Approximate ratios of polyculture elements in 1.5-L volumes, allowing to achieve the desired results in 2 weeks, are as follows: 2 g of Gelidium / 50–60 g of two-year-old mussels / 0.4–0.6 g of microalga wet weight.

Experiment on obtaining an algologically pure culture of Tetraselmis viridis in non-sterile conditions

The possibility of obtaining an algologically pure culture of Tetraselmis viridis, grown on the Black Sea water in non-sterile conditions, was shown experimentally. Our experiments showed that at low initial population density of the culture after 1–3 days, there was an infection of the culture with blue-green species of microalgae (Oscillatoria sp.). Thrice repeated mechanical removal of blue-green microalgae cells by filtering the infected culture allowed obtaining an algologically pure culture of T. viridis. Under similar conditions of T. viridis cultivation, but with the initial addition of NaCl (15 g/l) to the nutrient medium aimed at increasing salinity to the Mediterranean level, there was no contamination of the culture.

Chlorophyll concentration in marine microalgae biomass under the condition of light limitation (model)

The paper presents a mathematical model of light-dependent chlorophyll concentration in the marine microalgae biomass. The model is based on the concept of biomass as the sum of reserve and structural macromolecular forms of organic cell matter. At the same time, chlorophyll refers to structural forms of biomass. Using such concepts, it is possible to apply known equations for light-dependent content of structural forms in biomass. The proposed equation describes well the experimental results obtained in a number of experiments with the chlorophyllostate culture Tetraselmis viridis.