Dreissenid veliger dynamics along a nearshore to offshore transect in Lake Michigan

Dreissenid mussel veligers compose a substantial component of pelagic biomass in the Great Lakes, yet their dynamics are poorly understood. To evaluate seasonal, spatial, and inter-annual variation in veliger density, we used a 64-μm mesh plankton net (2008, 2013–2016) and a 153-μm mesh plankton net (2007–2016) to collect dreissenid veligers at nearshore (15–25?m depth), transitional (45?m) and offshore (93–110?m) sites in southeast Lake Michigan during March–December. We also evaluated trends in density of recently settled mussels relative to veliger abundance and the density of the standing stock of adult mussels. Veliger density peaked during both summer and fall at all sites, but peak densities in summer were generally higher nearshore, whereas peak densities in the fall were generally higher offshore. The density of veligers in the 153-μm net was overall 28% of that in the 64-μm net, but there was high variability in this comparison among months. Smaller veligers were much more abundant in the 64-μm net, but there was little difference in the size distribution and abundance between nets for the 210–300?μm size classes. Thus, the 153-μm net could still be a useful tool for assessing density trends of larger veligers just prior to their settlement. Newly settled mussels (≤2?mm) were most abundant in summer or fall at the nearshore and offshore sites but were nearly absent at the transitional site despite the high density of veligers there. Factors other than veliger density must play an important role in mussel recruitment.     

Quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) as biomonitors of metal contamination: A case study in the upper St. Lawrence River

In this study, the utility of quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) as biomonitors was investigated by measuring total concentrations of three trace metals, cadmium, copper, and zinc, in soft tissues. Quagga mussels were sampled from five sites along the upper St. Lawrence River, including one industrially influenced site, from 1999 through 2007. Mussels were collected from near-shore areas, divided into 5 size classes based on maximum shell length, and tissues were pooled for analysis of each size group. Two-way analysis of variance and a posteriori range tests were used to test for differences among sites along a distance gradient from the outflow of Lake Ontario and to examine inter-annual variability within and among sites. Cadmium concentrations were higher nearer the outflow of the lake. Copper concentrations varied among sites and years, but were generally highest near the industrial site. Zinc concentrations were relatively uniform, possibly reflecting internal regulation. Animal size measured as shell length was not an important factor in this section of the river, but warrants further consideration in a wider range of ecosystems and contaminant exposure levels. In general, concentrations of the three metals were not high compared to reports in the published literature for dreissenid mussels in contaminated environments. However, few studies have utilized quagga mussels rather than zebra mussels. The two species may differ in bioaccumulation patterns and may not be interchangeable as biomonitors. Further studies of bioaccumulation of contaminants by quagga mussels in a wider range of contaminant exposures would be useful particularly as quagga mussels displace zebra mussels in the Laurentian Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River.     

HClO对贻贝粘附单元DOPA氧化的理论研究

采用量子化学密度泛函理论(DFT)研究贻贝粘附单元DOPA(3,4-二羟基苯丙氨酸)的结构与性质,得分子的几何构型、原子电荷分布、反应活性及热力学等参数,表明:DOPA苯环易与HClO(次氯酸)发生亲电取代反应(1),生成3-氯4,5-二羟基苯丙氨酸,阻碍生成贻贝内超强粘附单元DOPA二联体,降低粘附蛋白间粘性;DOPA侧链易与HClO发生亲电亲核反应(2),促使DOPA侧链的断裂,降低粘附蛋白内粘性;在相同温度下,反应(1)和反应(2)的△G<0,且△G(1)<△G(2),反应(1)较易发生.     

Spermatozoa Transcriptional Response and Alterations in PL Proteins Properties after Exposure of Mytilus galloprovincialis to Mercury

Mercury (Hg) is an environmental pollutant that impacts human and ecosystem health. In our previous works, we reported alterations in the properties of Mytilus galloprovincialis protamine-like (PL) proteins after 24 h of exposure to subtoxic doses of toxic metals such as copper and cadmium. The present work aims to assess the effects of 24 h of exposure to 1, 10, and 100 pM HgCl₂ on spermatozoa and PL proteins of Mytilus galloprovincialis. Inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry indicated accumulation of this metal in the gonads of exposed mussels. Further, RT-qPCR analyses showed altered expression levels of spermatozoa mt10 and hsp70 genes. In Mytilus galloprovincialis, PL proteins represent the major basic component of sperm chromatin. These proteins, following exposure of mussels to HgCl₂, appeared, by SDS-PAGE, partly as aggregates and showed a decreased DNA-binding capacity that rendered them unable to prevent DNA damage, in the presence of CuCl₂ and H₂O₂. These results demonstrate that even these doses of HgCl₂ exposure could affect the properties of PL proteins and result in adverse effects on the reproductive system of this organism. These analyses could be useful in developing rapid and efficient chromatin-based genotoxicity assays for pollution biomonitoring programs.     

Zebra mussels’ behaviour detection,extraction and classification using wavelets and kernel methods

This paper concerns the detection, feature extraction and classification of behaviours of Dreissena polymorpha. A new algorithm based on wavelets and kernel methods that detects relevant events in the collected data is presented. This algorithm allows us to extract elementary events from the behaviour of a living organism. Moreover, we propose an efficient framework for automatic classification to separate the control and stressful conditions.     

Preparation and evaluation of biocide-loaded particles to control the biofouling zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha

The freshwater zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha is a powerful biofouling bivalve, which has tremendous impact on industrial facilities whose operation depends on the intensive use of freshwater, such as waterworks and power stations. The control of the pest in industrial environments remains a major challenge due to low selectivity over non-target organisms and the expense of the large quantities of biocides required. A novel delivery technique involving the encapsulation of a toxin within hundred micron-sized particles, edible for the bivalves, has been recently proposed. This strategy exploits the mussels’ filtration activity and minimises their avoidance responses to certain chemicals, resulting in an increase of their susceptibility to the biocide. In the present paper, which further develops this approach, a new, promising toxin-loaded particulate formulation is presented. The effectiveness of the product as a molluscicide has been demonstrated in laboratory bioassays. Encapsulation was observed to reduce the amount of biocide required to achieve 90% mortality in a 12-h treatment by a factor of approximately three. The dependence of the biocide-loaded particles’ molluscicidal activity on their physical characteristics is also illustrated in this paper by comparing the features of the promising formulation to those of an unsuccessful particulate product.     

仿贻贝类含儿茶酚改性聚乙烯醇黏附凝胶的合成

将儿茶酚(catechol)接枝到聚乙烯醇(PVA)侧基上,得到改性聚乙烯醇(m-PVA),以模拟贻贝类分泌的黏附蛋白液。通过(UV-spectra)、(FT-IR)及(H1NMR)证实了m-PVA的大分子结构,并计算出接枝率大约为10%。此外,通过热失重分析(TG)表征了mPVA的热稳定性能。对于模拟贻贝类黏附凝胶的形成机理,通过UV-spectra研究了m-PVA在不同p H值条件下对三价铁离子(Fe3+)的络合作用及所形成的黏附凝胶,以及在高碘酸钠(Na IO4)的氧化下,通过化学交联得到的具有黏附性质的凝胶。通过本文的初步研究,最终合成出具有一定黏附性质的m-PVA凝胶,在一定程度上对贻贝类黏附凝胶进行了仿生。     

贻贝酶解物对羟自由基清除作用的试验研究

通过测定贻贝酶解物对离体实验系统（Fenton体系）产生的羟自由基的清除效果，从胰蛋白酶、木瓜蛋白酶、胃蛋白酶3种酶中筛选出木瓜蛋白酶和胰蛋白酶作为酶解贻贝制备具有较高清除羟自由基活性酶解物的理想水解酶；并通过正交实验L9（3^4）对2种酶的水解条件进行优化。结果表明木瓜蛋白酶在温度60℃、酶解时间15min、DH7．5、酶质量分数1．00％的水解条件下，酶解物对羟自由基的清除效果最佳；胰蛋白酶在温度45℃、酶解时间35min,pH8，5、酶质量分数0．75％的水解条件下，酶解物对羟自由基清除效果最佳。木瓜蛋白酶酶解物在最大洗脱峰时有最大羟基自由基清除率峰，清除率为76．15％，在最大峰处酶解物中活性肽的分子量为1．4kDa；胰蛋白酶酶解物在最大洗脱峰时也有最大羟基自由基清除率峰，其清除率为69．13％，该峰处活性肽的分子量也为1．4kDa。