Simultaneous Microcystis algicidal and microcystin synthesis inhibition by a red pigment prodigiosin

Jia Wei; Xian Xie; Feiyu Huang; Lin Xiang; Yin Wang; Tongrui Han; Isaac Yaw Massey; Geyu Liang; Yuepu Pu; Fei Yang

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113444

Simultaneous Microcystis algicidal and microcystin synthesis inhibition by a red pigment prodigiosin

Environ Pollut. 2020 Jan:256:113444. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113444. Epub 2019 Oct 22.

Authors

Jia Wei¹, Xian Xie¹, Feiyu Huang¹, Lin Xiang¹, Yin Wang¹, Tongrui Han¹, Isaac Yaw Massey¹, Geyu Liang², Yuepu Pu², Fei Yang³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China.
² Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210007, China.
³ Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410078, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210007, China; Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Water Environment and Agriculture Product Safety, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083, China. Electronic address: phfyang@csu.edu.cn.

PMID: 31676094
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113444

Abstract

Microcystis blooms and their secondary metabolites microcystins (MCs) occurred all over the world, which have damaged aquatic ecosystems and threatened public health. Techniques to reduce the Microcystis blooms and MCs are urgently needed. This study aimed to investigate the algicidal and inhibitory mechanisms of a red pigment prodigiosin (PG) against the growth and MC-producing abilities of Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa). The numbers of Microcystis cells were counted under microscope. The expression of microcystin synthase B gene (mcyB) and concentrations of MCs were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods, respectively. The inhibitory effects of PG against M. aeruginosa strain FACHB 905 with 50% algicidal concentration (LC₅₀) at 120 h was 0.12 μg/mL. When M. aeruginosa cells exposed to 0.08 μg/mL, 0.16 μg/mL, 0.32 μg/mL PG, the expression of mcyB of M. aeruginosa was down-regulated 4.36, 8.16 and 18.51 times lower than that of the control at 120 h. The concentrations of total MC (TMC) also were 1.66, 1.72 and 5.75 times lower than that of the control at 120 h. PG had high algicidal effects against M. aeruginosa, with the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) initially increased and then decreased after 72 h, the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) increase, the expression of mcyB gene down-regulation, and MCs synthesis inhibition. This study was first to report the PG can simultaneously lyse Microcystis cells, down-regulate of mcyB expression and inhibit MCs production effectively probably due to oxidative stress, which indicated PG poses a great potential for regulating Microcystis blooms and MCs pollution in the environment.

Keywords: Algicidal effects; Cyanobacterial blooms; Microcystin; Microcystis; mcyB.

MeSH terms

Disinfectants / toxicity*
Ecosystem
Malondialdehyde / metabolism
Microcystins / metabolism
Microcystis / drug effects*
Microcystis / metabolism
Prodigiosin / toxicity*
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

Disinfectants
Microcystins
Malondialdehyde
microcystin
Prodigiosin