Invasive alien species are widespread in freshwater systems compared to terrestrial ecosystems. Among crustaceans, crayfish in particular have been widely introduced and are considered a major threat to freshwater ecosystem functioning.... more
Invasive alien species are widespread in freshwater systems compared to terrestrial ecosystems. Among crustaceans, crayfish in particular have been widely introduced and are considered a major threat to freshwater ecosystem functioning. New emerging techniques for detecting and controlling invasive crayfish and protecting endangered native species are; thus, now highly desirable and several are under evaluation. Important innovations have been developed in recent years for detection of both invasive and native crayfish, mainly through eDNA, which allows for the detection of the target species even at low abundance levels and when not directly observable. Forecasting models have also moved towards the creation of realistic invasion scenarios, allowing effective management plans to be developed in advance of invasions. The importance of monitoring the spread and impacts of crayfish and pathogens in developing national data and research networks is emphasised; here "citizen science" can also play a role. Emerging techniques are still being considered in the field of invasive crayfish control. Although for decades the main traditional techniques to manage invasive crayfish were solely based on trapping, since 2010 biological, biocidal, autocidal controls and sexual attractants, monosex populations, RNA interference, the sterile male release technique and oral delivery have all also been investigated for crayfish control. In this review, ongoing methodologies applied to the detection and management of invasive crayfish are discussed, highlighting their benefits and limitations.
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The sterile male release technique (SMRT) is a useful method applied for controlling invasive and pest species. However, the use of X-rays can lead to negative effects on survival and health conditions of sterilized males. This study was... more
The sterile male release technique (SMRT) is a useful method applied for controlling invasive and pest species. However, the use of X-rays can lead to negative effects on survival and health conditions of sterilized males. This study was addressed to evaluate the functional integrity of physiological, morphological and behavioural responses in males of the red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) exposed to a dose of 40 Gy ionising radiations. Concerning physiological responses, results showed that the irradiation dose, tested at 5, 12, 28, 35, 65, 99, 132 and 193 days after treatment, has no effects on glycaemic and plasmatic total protein levels measured as biomarkers for general stress indexes. Nevertheless, the significant reduction of circulating haemocytes and the basal levels of phenoloxidase (PO) activities recorded in 40Gy-irradiated crayfishes indicate that the exposure shrinks their capability to mount a rapid nonspecific response, besides higher levels of plasmatic total PO activity indicate the ability to compensate and maintain an inducible response. Histological analyses performed at the end of the experiment showed no morphological damages in testicular acini of irradiated males. Moreover, behavioural responses to two different water stimuli (vaporization and jet), measured at 15 and 45 days after the irradiation, were not modified in exposed crayfishes compared to the control group. These results confirm the validity of SMRT on young males when the breeding season is less than 4 months but exposure to X-ray should be repeated at mid-breeding season when temperatures allow a longer breeding season. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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The increasing availability of sequenced genomes has enabled a deeper understanding of the complexity of fish lectin repertoires involved in early development and immune recognition. The teleost fucose-type lectin (FTL) family includes... more
The increasing availability of sequenced genomes has enabled a deeper understanding of the complexity of fish lectin repertoires involved in early development and immune recognition. The teleost fucose-type lectin (FTL) family includes proteins that preferentially bind fucose and display tandemly arrayed carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRDs) or are found in mosaic combinations with other domains. They function as opsonins, promoting phagocytosis and the clearance of microbial pathogens. The Antarctic fish Trematomus bernacchii is a Perciforme living at extremely low temperatures (-1.68 °C) which is considered a model for studying adaptability to the variability of environmental waters. Here, we isolated a Ca++-independent fucose-binding protein from the serum of T. bernacchii by affinity chromatography with apparent molecular weights of 32 and 30 kDa under reducing and non-reducing conditions, respectively. We have characterized its carbohydrate binding properties, thermal stability and potential ability to recognize bacterial pathogens. In western blot analysis, the protein showed intense cross-reactivity with antibodies specific for a sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) fucose-binding lectin. In addition, its molecular and structural aspects, showing that it contains two CRD-FTLs confirmed that T. bernacchii FTL (TbFTL) is a bona fide member of the FTL family, with binding activity at low temperatures and the ability to agglutinate bacteria, thereby suggesting it participates in host-pathogen interactions in low temperature environments.
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Acknowledgements We thank Marco Pavanello, Luca Dorigo, Marco Bertoli and Federica Fonda for their helpful suggestions during study design and precious help during the fieldwork and the Regional Environmental Agency of the Region Friuli... more
Acknowledgements We thank Marco Pavanello, Luca Dorigo, Marco Bertoli and Federica Fonda for their helpful suggestions during study design and precious help during the fieldwork and the Regional Environmental Agency of the Region Friuli Venezia Giulia (ARPA FVG), which provided some data about fish composition and density in the study area. We thank Federico De Pascalis for his friendly suggestions over the manuscript. Finally, we thank the two anonymous reviewers who, with their helpful comments, helped us to improve the quality of this manuscript. Dedicated to Maurizio Marcolin and Giovanna Cal that inspired the continuation of this work even in the most struggling moments. Abstract
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Recent studies have addressed to the taxonomical characterization of Italian pike as a new species named Esox cisalpinus, which differs from the European Esox lucius. A taxonomical study of the pike features in the Friuli Venezia Giulia... more
Recent studies have addressed to the taxonomical characterization of Italian pike as a new species named Esox cisalpinus, which differs from the European Esox lucius. A taxonomical study of the pike features in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region (Northeast Italy) is here presented, since previous studies did not consider this area which could represent an overlapping zone for the two species. Main meristic characters were investigated, and genetic analyses were carried out using molecular marjers. Our results conform the genetic separation from the E. lucius, while among meristic characters only the number of lateral-line scales differs between the species. E. cisalpinus was observed in most of the investigated sites, except for an isolated lentic habitat where E. lucius was found. As E. cisalpinus is likely autochthonous in friuli venezia Giulia as in other Italian regions, we highlight the requirement of furtheranalyses in order to clarify if hybridization can occur and to plan appropriate management safeguards for native populations
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Recent technological advances in the field of genomics offer conservation managers and practitioners new tools to explore for conservation applications. Many of these tools are well developed and used by other life science fields, while... more
Recent technological advances in the field of genomics offer conservation managers and practitioners new tools to explore for conservation applications. Many of these tools are well developed and used by other life science fields, while others are still in development. Considering these technological possibilities, choosing the right tool(s) from the toolbox is crucial and can pose a challenging task. With this in mind, we strive to inspire, inform and illuminate managers and practitioners on how conservation efforts can benefit from the current genomic and biotechnological revolution. With inspirational case studies we show how new technologies can help resolve some of the main conservation challenges, while also informing how implementable the different technologies are. We here focus specifically on small population management, highlight the potential for genetic rescue, and discuss the opportunities in the field of gene editing to help with adaptation to changing environments. I...
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Nanoplastics (≤100 nm) represent the smallest fraction of plastic litter and may result in the aquatic environment as degradation products of larger plastic material. To date, few studies focused on the interactions of micro- and... more
Nanoplastics (≤100 nm) represent the smallest fraction of plastic litter and may result in the aquatic environment as degradation products of larger plastic material. To date, few studies focused on the interactions of micro- and nanoplastics with freshwater Decapoda. The red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii, Girard, 1852) is an invasive species able to tolerate highly perturbed environments. As a benthic opportunistic feeder, this species may be susceptible to plastic ingestion. In this study, adult P. clarkii, at intermolt stage, were exposed to 100 μg of 100 nm carboxylated polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) through diet in a 72 h acute toxicity test. An integrated approach was conceived to assess the biological effects of PS NPs, by analyzing both transcriptomic and physiological responses. Total hemocyte counts, basal and total phenoloxidase activities, glycemia and total protein concentration were investigated in crayfish hemolymph at 0 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h from PS NPs administration to evaluate general stress response over time. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the hemocytes and hepatopancreas were analyzed to ascertain the response of crayfish to PS NP challenge after 72 h. At a physiological level, crayfish were able to compensate for the induced stress, not exceeding generic stress thresholds. The RNA-Sequencing analysis revealed the altered expression of few genes involved in immune response, oxidative stress, gene transcription and translation, protein degradation, lipid metabolism, oxygen demand, and reproduction after PS NPs exposure. This study suggests that a low concentration of PS NPs may induce mild stress in crayfish, and sheds light on molecular pathways possibly involved in nanoplastic toxicity.
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Since August 2015, an increasing number of Blue Crabs, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896, have been reported in the Marano and Grado Lagoon, Gulf of Trieste, in the northern Adriatic Sea. This species is not a new introduction and in fact... more
Since August 2015, an increasing number of Blue Crabs, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896, have been reported in the Marano and Grado Lagoon, Gulf of Trieste, in the northern Adriatic Sea. This species is not a new introduction and in fact the first record of C. sapidus in Italy and the entire Adriatic Sea dates back to 1949 in the Grado Lagoon. Interestingly, no other records of C. sapidus have been reported since the first record. Here, we note the re-appearance of C. sapidus in the Gulf of Trieste.
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Procambarus clarkii is an invasive alien species spreading worldwide. It is therefore mandatory to find new methods to manage this species since traditional techniques are not sufficient for this purpose. The present study investigates... more
Procambarus clarkii is an invasive alien species spreading worldwide. It is therefore mandatory to find new methods to manage this species since traditional techniques are not sufficient for this purpose. The present study investigates gonad damage induced by different doses of ionising irradiation: 20, 40 and 60Gy. Testis were analysed after 10 and 30 days by means of light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Control unirradiated testes present an acinar structure with a well-defined germinative cells maturation from the distal proliferative zone to the proximal stalk of the lobes whilst, in irradiated testes, induced apoptosis of germinative and accessory cells and a high level of vacuolisation inside the acini were identified, progressively increasing in accordance to Gy dosage and time after exposure. We determined the dose of 40Gy as the best compromise: it causes an extensive damage to germinative tissues without affecting crayfish vitality, differing from 60Gy. From an applicative point of view, this dose reduces the efforts, in terms of cost and time, for the application of SMRT.
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The Sacca di Goro lagoon is an area located in the northern part of Italy. This locality has benefited in the past of an occasional and later the planned introduction of the Manila clam. Nowadays it produces more than 50% of the entire... more
The Sacca di Goro lagoon is an area located in the northern part of Italy. This locality has benefited in the past of an occasional and later the planned introduction of the Manila clam. Nowadays it produces more than 50% of the entire Italian clam production. Recently the crab Callinectes sapidus has been spotted and reported a few months ago on its female carrying eggs. This may signify the complete acclimation of this species in the Sacca di Goro lagoon and a potential ongoing spread to surrounding areas.
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Research Interests: Genomics, Computational Biology, Biology, Aquaculture, Medicine, and 5 moreTranscriptome, Italy, Animals, Mytilus, and Genome
The red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii, Girard 1852) is among the most economically important freshwater crustacean species, and it is also considered one of the most aggressive invasive species worldwide. Despite its commercial... more
The red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii, Girard 1852) is among the most economically important freshwater crustacean species, and it is also considered one of the most aggressive invasive species worldwide. Despite its commercial importance and being one of the most studied crayfish species, its genomic and transcriptomic layout has only been partially studied. Illumina RNA-sequencing was applied to characterize the eyestalk transcriptome and identify its most characterizing genes. A collection of 83,170,732 reads from eyestalks was obtained using Illumina paired-end sequencing technology. A de novo assembly was performed with the Trinity assembly software generating 119,255 contigs (average length of 1007bp) and identifying the first sequenced transcriptome in this species. The eyestalk is a major site for the production of neurohormones and controls a variety of physiological functions such as osmotic regulation, molting, epidermal color patterns and reproduction. Hence, its t...
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A transcriptomic assembly originated from hypodermis and Y organ of the crustacean Pontastacus leptodactylus is used here for in silico characterization of oxi-reductase enzymes potentially involved in the metabolism of ecdysteroid... more
A transcriptomic assembly originated from hypodermis and Y organ of the crustacean Pontastacus leptodactylus is used here for in silico characterization of oxi-reductase enzymes potentially involved in the metabolism of ecdysteroid molting hormones. RNA samples were extracted from male Y organ and its neighboring hypodermis in all stages of the molt cycle. An equimolar RNA mix from all stages was sequenced using next generation sequencing technologies and de novo assembled, resulting with 74,877 unique contigs. These transcript sequences were annotated by examining their resemblance to all GenBank translated transcripts, determining their Gene Ontology terms and their characterizing domains. Based on the present knowledge of arthropod ecdysteroid metabolism and more generally on steroid metabolism in other taxa, transcripts potentially related to ecdysteroid metabolism were identified and their longest possible conceptual protein sequences were constructed in two stages, correct reading frame was deduced from BLASTX resemblances, followed by elongation of the protein sequence by identifying the correct translation frame of the original transcript. The analyzed genes belonged to several oxi-reductase superfamilies including the Rieske non heme iron oxygenases, cytochrome P450s, short-chained hydroxysteroid oxi-reductases, aldo/keto oxireductases, lamin B receptor/sterol reductases and glucose-methanol-cholin oxi-reductatses. A total of 68 proteins were characterized and the most probable participants in the ecdysteroid metabolism where indicated. The study provides transcript and protein structural information, a starting point for further functional studies, using a variety of gene-specific methods to demonstrate or disprove the roles of these proteins in relation to ecdysteroid metabolism in P. leptodactylus.
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Research Interests: Evolutionary Biology, Immunology, Data Mining, Biology, Cell Adhesion, and 15 moreMedicine, Complement System, Mediterranean Sea, Cell Differentiation, Adaptive Immunity, Animals, Gene Duplication, Hemocytes, Biological Process, Amino Acid Sequence, Evolutionary Strategy, Bacterial Infection, Gene Expression Regulation, Gene expression profiling, and Innate Immune System
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Host and dietary interactions with the rumen microbiome can affect the efficacy of supplements, and their effect on the composition of the bacterial population is still unknown. A 16S rRNA metagenomic approach and Next-Generation... more
Host and dietary interactions with the rumen microbiome can affect the efficacy of supplements, and their effect on the composition of the bacterial population is still unknown. A 16S rRNA metagenomic approach and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology were used to investigate the bacterial microbiome composition in the liquid fraction of the rumen content collected via stomach tubing. To investigate biodiversity, samples were taken from three groups of four lactating dairy cows given a supplement of either 50 g of potato protein (Ctrl group), or 50 g of lyophilizedSaccharomyces cerevisiae(LY group) or 50 g of driedS. cerevisiae(DY group) in a potato protein support. Rumen samples were collected after 15 days of dietary treatments and milk production was similar between the three groups. Taxonomic distribution analysis revealed a prevalence of theFirmicutesphylum in all cows (79.76%) and a significantly (P<0.05) higher presence of the genusBacillusin the DY group. Volatile f...
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Due to the increasing mass mortality of Pinna nobilis, mainly caused by the protozoan Haplosporidium pinnae along the Mediterranean Sea, it is necessary to develop rapid and effective methods to detect the pathogen. The present study... more
Due to the increasing mass mortality of Pinna nobilis, mainly caused by the protozoan Haplosporidium pinnae along the Mediterranean Sea, it is necessary to develop rapid and effective methods to detect the pathogen. The present study describes the development and validation of a species-specific assay based on hydrolysis probe chemistry to detect H. pinnae DNA from faeces and pseudofaeces of P. nobilis. During a study campaign in the Gulf of Trieste (Italy) in the spring and summer of 2022, 18 samples (10 faeces and 8 pseudofaeces) were collected. DNA was isolated from all samples and the presence of H. pinnae was tested by amplifying a small portion of 18S rDNA using qPCR. The newly developed assay detected positive H. pinnae in the faeces of the fan mussel in the spring, while no evidence of an outbreak of H. pinnae was found in the summer. In addition, the method proved to be noninvasive and can be used to monitor suspected H. pinnae infections in the early stages when bivalves a...
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Topmouth gudgeon is a freshwater fish species native to East Asia. Nowadays, P. parva is spread throughout Europe which is of concern because besides being considered one of the worst aquatic Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Europe it is... more
Topmouth gudgeon is a freshwater fish species native to East Asia. Nowadays, P. parva is spread throughout Europe which is of concern because besides being considered one of the worst aquatic Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Europe it is also a known vector of Spherotecum destruens, the rosette-like parasite lethal to other fish species. The present study describes the development and validation of a new species-specific assay based on hydrolysis probe chemistry to detect P. parva environmental DNA (eDNA) in water samples collected in a northern region of Italy (Friuli Venezia Giulia). Water samples were collected from 55 sites in an area where partial information on the occurrence of the species is available. eDNA was isolated from all samples and the presence of P. parva eDNA was tested by means of qPCR (quantitative PCR) and microfluidic qdPCR (quantitative digital PCR) techniques. Field results for both qPCR and qdPCR were largely in agreement in terms of detection (presence/abse...
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The stone crayfish, Austropotamobius torrentium, is a European freshwater crayfish. Although this species is relatively widespread throughout the continent, it is undergoing significant declines throughout its range. However, as the... more
The stone crayfish, Austropotamobius torrentium, is a European freshwater crayfish. Although this species is relatively widespread throughout the continent, it is undergoing significant declines throughout its range. However, as the decline rates have not been quantified in detail, this species is classified as data deficient by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The present study describes the development and validation of two species-specific assays based on hydrolysis probe chemistry for the detection of A. torrentium and A. pallipes environmental DNA (eDNA) in water samples collected in the Julian Alps of Italy (Friuli Venezia Giulia). The eDNA-based method was applied to 14 sites within the Danubian Slizza basin, known to be inhabited by A. torrentium, but with insufficient information on their distribution. In addition, one station in the Tagliamento River basin was sampled to test the performance of the A. pallipes probe. The presence of A. torrentium is confirmed at 6 ...
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The major component of the animal egg yolk is the lipoglycoprotein vitellin, derived from its precursor vitellogenin (VTG), which is produced species-specifically in decapod crustaceans in the hepatopancreas and/or in the ovary of... more
The major component of the animal egg yolk is the lipoglycoprotein vitellin, derived from its precursor vitellogenin (VTG), which is produced species-specifically in decapod crustaceans in the hepatopancreas and/or in the ovary of reproductive females. Previous studies on Procambarus clarkii vitellogenesis report the existence of two single VTGs. Here, from a multiple tissue transcriptome including ovaries and hepatopancreas of P. clarkii, we characterized four different VTG and two VTG-like transcriptomes encoding for the discoidal lipoprotein-high density lipoprotein/β-glucan binding protein (dLp/HDL-BGBP). The relative expression of the various genes was evaluated by quantitative Real-Time PCR in both the ovary and hepatopancreas of females at different reproductive stages (from immature until fully mature oocytes). These studies revealed tissue-specificity and a reproductive stage related expression for the VTGs and a constitutive expression in the hepatopancreas of dLp/HDL-BGBP...
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Clinostomum complanatum, a digenean trematode of the Clinostomidae family, is a fish-borne zoonotic parasite responsible for Halzoun syndrome in humans and is transmitted through the consumption of raw or undercooked freshwater fish. Of... more
Clinostomum complanatum, a digenean trematode of the Clinostomidae family, is a fish-borne zoonotic parasite responsible for Halzoun syndrome in humans and is transmitted through the consumption of raw or undercooked freshwater fish. Of the total of 112 specimens of European perch (Perca fluviatilis) sampled from a subalpine lake (Lake Endine) in North Italy in 2019, 21 (18.75%) tested positive for encysted metacercariae in the fillet. This study reports the first isolation of C. complanatum in P. fluviatilis and highlights the possible zoonotic risk for consumers, since P. fluviatilis is a food fish used in the traditional local cuisine.
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Abstract This chapter provides an overview of the main stress responses modulated by neuropeptides of the crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH) family. The current scenario of upstream regulation of CHHs is presented here. Numerous... more
Abstract This chapter provides an overview of the main stress responses modulated by neuropeptides of the crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH) family. The current scenario of upstream regulation of CHHs is presented here. Numerous sequence variants, splicing-isoforms, and posttranslational modifications of CHHs point to a wide functional diversification of these peptides. Other than the classical main CHH-mediated cascade resulting in energy mobilization, new aspects focused on CHH chirality are demanding deeper efforts on the characterization of their target and mode of action. Moreover, new CHH variants with immune-related functions have been recently described, broadening further the role of such a neuropeptides family.
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The rigid crustacean exoskeleton, the cuticle, is composed of the polysaccharide chitin, structural proteins and mineral deposits. It is periodically replaced to enable growth and its construction is an energy-demanding process. Ecdysis,... more
The rigid crustacean exoskeleton, the cuticle, is composed of the polysaccharide chitin, structural proteins and mineral deposits. It is periodically replaced to enable growth and its construction is an energy-demanding process. Ecdysis, the shedding event of the old cuticle, is preceded by a preparatory phase, termed premolt, in which the present cuticle is partially degraded and a new one is formed underneath it. Procambarus clarkii (Girard 1852), an astacid crustacean, was used here to comprehensively examine the changing patterns of gene expression in the hypodermis underlying the cuticle of the carapace at seven time points along ~14 premolt days. Next generation sequencing was used to construct a multi-tissue P. clarkii transcript sequence assembly for general use in a variety of transcriptomic studies. A reference transcriptome was created here in order to perform digital transcript expression analysis, determining the gene expression profiles in each of the examined premolt ...
Research Interests: Physiology, Molecular Biology, Biology, Cell Biology, Medicine, and 15 moreGene expression, Cytoskeleton, Transcriptome, Biological Sciences, Animals, Proteins, Gene, Crayfish, Aquatic science, Chitin, Molting, Procambarus Clarkii, Experimental Biology, Gene expression profiling, and Medical and Health Sciences
Conversion of one or more amino acids in eukaryotic peptides to the D-enantiomer configuration is catalyzed by specific L/D-peptide isomerases and it is a poorly investigated post-translational modification. No common modified amino acid... more
Conversion of one or more amino acids in eukaryotic peptides to the D-enantiomer configuration is catalyzed by specific L/D-peptide isomerases and it is a poorly investigated post-translational modification. No common modified amino acid or specific modified position has been recognized, and mechanisms underlying changes in the peptide function provided by this conversion are not widely studied. The 72 amino acid crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH) in Astacidea crustaceans exhibits a co-existence of two peptide enantiomers with either D- or L-phenylalanine as their third residue. It is a pleiotropic hormone regulating several physiological processes in different target tissues and along different time scales. CHH enantiomers differently affect time courses and intensities of examined processes. The short-term effects of the two isomers on gene expression were examined in the hepatopancreas, gills, hemocytes and muscles of the astacid Pontastacus leptodactylus. Gene expression in ...
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The Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis is marine bivalve with a relevant commercial importance as well as a key sentinel organism for the biomonitoring of environmental pollution. Here we report the RNA sequencing of the... more
The Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis is marine bivalve with a relevant commercial importance as well as a key sentinel organism for the biomonitoring of environmental pollution. Here we report the RNA sequencing of the mussel digestive gland, performed with the aim: a) to produce a high quality de novo transcriptome assembly, thus improving the genetic and molecular knowledge of this organism b) to provide an initial assessment of the response to paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) on a molecular level, in order to identify possible molecular markers of toxin accumulation. The comprehensive de novo assembly and annotation of the transcriptome yielded a collection of 12,079 non-redundant consensus sequences with an average length of 958 bp, with a high percentage of full-length transcripts. The whole-transcriptome gene expression study indicated that the accumulation of paralytic toxins produced by the dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum over a time span of 5 days scarce...
Research Interests: Biology, Environmental Monitoring, Medicine, Transcriptome, Animals, and 13 moreHost-parasite interactions, Mytilus, Marine Toxins, Paralytic shellfish poisoning, Digestive System, De Novo Genome Assembly, De Novo Transcriptome Assembly, Shellfish, Mytilus galloprovincialis, RNA seq, Food Chain, Genetic Markers, and Gene expression profiling
Dinoflagellates and other microalgae can produce a wide spectrum of toxic molecules, which are the main responsible of shellfish poisoning syndromes. During seasonal harmful algal blooms (HABs), many filter-feeding marine invertebrates,... more
Dinoflagellates and other microalgae can produce a wide spectrum of toxic molecules, which are the main responsible of shellfish poisoning syndromes. During seasonal harmful algal blooms (HABs), many filter-feeding marine invertebrates, including bivalve molluscs, can accumulate phycotoxins at extremely high levels, thus representing a serious threat to human health. Furthermore, HABs also have a severe impact on the aquaculture sector due to the forced prolonged closure of large harvesting areas. Although the targets and mechanism of action of many phycotoxins have been extensively studied on vertebrate model organisms, so far just a little attention has been focused on their effects on marine invertebrates. Here we provide an overview about the molecular response of marine bivalves to phycotoxins, with a particular focus on toxins produced by dinoflagellates. Even though large-scale genomic and proteomic approaches on molluscs are still hindered by the limited molecular knowledge ...