EU-US ECOHAB. EC-NSF Cooperative Activity in Environmental Res: Mating Incompatibility Among Toxic and Non-Toxic Populations of Alexandrium: Ecological and Practical Implications

欧盟-美国ECOHAB。

• 批准号: 0402707
• 负责人: Donald Anderson
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-05-01 至 2010-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0402707&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EU; US; ECOHAB.; EC; NSF

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a serious and growing problem in the US and the world. Among the multiple poisoning syndromes linked to HABs, Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) is arguably the most widespread and significant on a global basis. Dinoflagellates within the genus Alexandrium (and in particular within the tamarensis and minutum species complexes) are responsible for many of these PSP outbreaks in the US and in Europe. Several characteristics of the temporal and spatial pattern of Alexandrium species are noteworthy. First, over the last several decades, the distribution of species within both complexes has expanded geographically as a result of natural and human-assisted dispersal mechanisms. Second, there are both toxic and non-toxic varieties of certain species within each of these complexes, and sometimes these bloom in relatively close proximity to each other. This latter observation is particularly noteworthy given recent results, which demonstrate that toxic, and non-toxic strains of A. tamarense can mate and produce resting cysts, but the cells that germinate from these cysts quickly die as they attempt to divide. A reproductive barrier thus exists for at least some strains of this species. The overall objective of this project is to investigate mating compatibilities among toxic and non-toxic members of the tamarensis and minutum species complexes of Alexandrium. This will involve a combination of laboratory and field studies in a direct collaboration between US and EU partners under the EC-NSF Cooperative Activity in Environmental Research. Specific objectives are to: 1) Establish and characterize additional toxic and non-toxic Alexandrium cultures from the northeastern U.S. and Europe; 2) Determine mating compatibility between toxic and non-toxic strains of A. tamarense and A. minutum; 3) Identify a genetic marker to distinguish between toxic and non-toxic minutum; 4) Develop methods to determine the toxic/non-toxic genotype of planktonic cells and cysts; 5) Determine mating selectivity of toxic and non-toxic A. minutum and A. tamarense strains; 6) Participate in European field surveys to map Alexandrium populations in the plankton and sediments; and 7) Employ growth rate, grazing rate and mating preference data to model the outcome of a variety of invasion scenarios and to evaluate the potential of introduced non-toxic Alexandrium species as a bloom control or mitigation strategy.The scientific merits of the proposed study are significant, as the mating incompatibilities to be explored may explain observed distributions of toxic and non-toxic Alexandrium species throughout the world and relate directly to the potential success of an invasion of one toxin-type into the domain of the other, such as through natural currents and storms, or ballast water discharge. The broader impacts are also significant. HABs represent a serious threat to public health and efficient utilization of coastal resources. In addition to practical implications with respect to species dispersal via ballast water discharge or other human-assisted means, a novel bloom control or mitigation strategy of potential value to society will be investigated whereby a non-toxic strain of Alexandrium could be introduced to an area subject to toxic outbreaks in a manner analogous to the release of sterile males to control insect pests. Other broad impacts include strengthening the EU-US HAB network of scientists, communicating results via conference presentations, scientific publications, and articles in the popular press, and training and education of young scientists. In the latter context, students and postdoctoral investigators from both the US and the EU will work in the PI's laboratory on this project, supported by outside fellowships, EU funds, internal WHOI funds (Summer Student Fellowships, Minority Traineeships), and REU (Research Opportunities for Undergraduates) support, for which proposals will be submitted. The PI has always placed a high priority on the integration of research and education, and this project will be no exception.

有害的藻华（HABS）在美国和世界上是一个严重且日益严重的问题。 在与HAB有关的多重中毒综合征中，瘫痪贝类中毒（PSP）可以说是全球最广泛和最重要的。 Alexandrium属（尤其是塔玛氏菌和小型物种综合体中）内的鞭毛鞭毛是负责美国和欧洲的许多PSP暴发。值得注意的是亚历山大种类的时间和空间模式的几个特征。首先，在过去的几十年中，由于自然和人为辅助的分散机制，两种复合物中物种的分布在地理上扩大了。其次，这些复合物中的每种物种都有某些物种的有毒和无毒品种，有时它们彼此之间相对接近。鉴于最近的结果，后一种观察值特别值得注意，这表明毒性曲霉的毒性和无毒菌株可以交配并产生静止的囊肿，但是从这些囊肿中发芽的细胞随着试图分裂而迅速死亡。因此，至少某些该物种菌株存在生殖屏障。该项目的总体目的是研究亚历山大省的塔玛氏菌和小型物种复合物的有毒和无毒成员之间的交配兼容性。这将涉及在环境研究中的EC-NSF合作活动下，在我们与欧盟合作伙伴之间的直接合作中，实验室和现场研究的结合。具体目标是：1）建立和表征来自美国东北部的其他有毒和无毒的亚历山大养殖； 2）确定罗曲霉和小曲霉的毒性和无毒菌株之间的交配兼容性； 3）确定一个遗传标记，以区分有毒和无毒细节； 4）开发方法来确定浮游细胞和囊肿的毒性/无毒基因型； 5）确定有毒和无毒的曲霉和黄褐斑菌株的交配选择性； 6）参加欧洲现场调查，以绘制浮游生物和沉积物中的亚历山大种群；和7）使用增长率，放牧率和交配偏好数据来对各种入侵情景的结果进行建模，并评估引入无毒的亚历山大种类的潜力作为盛开的控制或缓解策略。拟议的研究的科学优点是重要的，因为要探索杂交的毒性及其在毒性中的不断分配的可能性很大一种毒素型入侵另一个毒素型，例如通过自然电流和暴风雨或压载水排出。更广泛的影响也很大。哈布斯对公共卫生和对沿海资源的有效利用构成了严重威胁。除了通过压载水排出或其他人类辅助手段对物种扩散的实际意义外，还将研究一种新颖的布鲁姆控制或缓解策略对社会潜在价值的缓解策略，从而可以将亚历山大的无毒菌株引入一个面积，以与释放纯平的昆虫的释放相似，以与有毒疫情相似。其他广泛的影响包括加强欧盟HAB科学家网络，通过会议演讲，科学出版物和大众媒体的文章以及年轻科学家的培训和教育进行交流。在后一种情况下，来自美国和欧盟的学生和博士后调查人员将在PI的实验室对该项目进行工作，并得到外部奖学金，欧盟基金，内部WHOI资金（夏季学生奖学金，少数民族学者）和REU（对学生的研究机会）的支持。 PI始终将研究和教育的整合放在很高的重点上，该项目也不例外。