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Pfiesteria

January 01, 1970

Pfiesteria is a genus of heterotrophic dinoflagellates that has been associated with harmful algal blooms and fish kills. Pfiesteria complex organisms (PCOs) were claimed to be responsible for large fish kills in the 1980s and 1990s on the coast of North Carolina and in tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. In reaction to the toxic outbreaks, six states along the US east coast have initiated a monitoring program to allow for rapid response in the case of new outbreaks and to better understand the factors involved in Pfiesteria toxicity and outbreaks.[1] New molecular detection methods have revealed that Pfiesteria has a worldwide distribution.[2]

Pfiesteria
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Alveolata
Phylum: Myzozoa
Superclass: Dinoflagellata
Class: Dinophyceae
Order: Thoracosphaerales
Family: Pfiesteriaceae
Genus: Pfiesteria
Species

Pfiesteria piscicida
Pfiesteria shumwayae

Discovery and naming edit

Pfiesteria was discovered in 1988 by North Carolina State University researchers JoAnn Burkholder and Ed Noga. The genus was named after Lois Ann Pfiester (1936–1992), a biologist who did much of the early research on dinoflagellates.[3]

Species edit

There are two species described, Pfiesteria piscicida (from Latin Pisces, fish; cida, killer.[3]), which has a complex life cycle[4] and the species Pfiesteria shumwayae, also with a complex life cycle.[5] The type locality of Pfiesteria piscicida is Pamlico River Estuary, North Carolina, U.S.A.

Feeding strategy edit

Early research resulted in the hypothesis that Pfiesteria is a predatory dinoflagellate that acts as an ambush predator, utilizing a "hit and run" feeding strategy. Release of a toxin paralyzes the respiratory systems of susceptible fish, such as menhaden, causing death by suffocation. Pfiesteria then consumes the tissue sloughed off its dead prey.[6]

Controversy edit

Pfiesteria biology and the role of PCOs in killing fish and sickening humans have been subject to several controversies and conflicting research results over the last few years.[7][8]

  • Life cycle: Early research suggested a complex lifecycle of Pfiesteria piscicida, but this has become controversial over the past few years due to conflicting research results. Especially contested is the question of whether toxic amoeboid forms exist.[9]
  • Toxicity to fish: The hypothesis of Pfiesteria killing fish via releasing a toxin in the water has been questioned as no toxin could be isolated and no toxicity was observed in some experiments. Toxicity appears to depend on the strains and assays used.[10] The lesions observed on fish presumed killed by Pfiesteria have been attributed to water molds by some researchers. However, it has also been established that Pfiesteria shumwayae kills fish by feeding on their skin through myzocytosis.[11] In early 2007, a highly unstable toxin produced by the toxic form of Pfiesteria piscicida was identified.[12]
  • Human illness: The effects of PCOs on humans have been questioned, leading to the "Pfiesteria hysteria hypothesis." A critical review of this hypothesis in the late 1990s concluded that Pfiesteria-related illness was unlikely to be caused by mass hysteria.[13] Concluding that there was no evidence to support the existence of Pfiesteria-associated human illness, the National Institutes of Health discontinued funding for research into the effects of Pfiesteria toxin on humans shortly after a CDC sponsored Pfiesteria conference in 2000.[14] A subsequent evaluation, however, concluded that PCOs can cause human illness.[15] The controversy about the risk of Pfiesteria exposure to human health is still ongoing.[16][17]

In fiction edit

  • A fictional Pfiesteria species dangerous to humans featured in James Powlik's 1999 environmental thriller Sea Change.
  • The fictional species Pfiesteria homicida was one of the antagonists in Frank Schätzing's 2004 novel The Swarm. They are a biological weapon created by the yrr, the main antagonists of the novel.

References edit

  1. ^ Magnien RE (2001). "State monitoring activities related to Pfiesteria-like organisms". Environ. Health Perspect. 109 (Suppl 5): 711–4. doi:10.2307/3454918. JSTOR 3454918. PMC 1240602. PMID 11677180.
  2. ^ Rublee PA, Remington DL, Schaefer EF, Marshall MM (2005). "Detection of the Dinozoans Pfiesteria piscicida and P. shumwayae: a review of detection methods and geographic distribution" (PDF). J. Eukaryot. Microbiol. 52 (2): 83–9. doi:10.1111/j.1550-7408.2005.05202007.x. PMID 15817112. S2CID 15838304.
  3. ^ a b Steidinger, K.A.; Burkholder, J.M.; Glasgow, H.B. Jr.; Hobbs, C.W.; Garrett, J.K.; Truby, E.W.; Noga, E.J.; Smith, S.A. (1996). "Pfiesteria piscicida gen. et sp. nov. (Pfiesteriaceae fam. nov.), a new toxic dinoflagellate with a complex life cycle and behavior". J. Phycol. 32: 157–164. doi:10.1111/j.0022-3646.1996.00157.x. S2CID 85246132.
  4. ^ Parrow, M.W.; Burkholder, J.M. (2004). "The sexual life cycles of Pfiesteria piscicida and cryptoperidiniopsoids (dinophyceae)". J. Phycol. 40 (4): 664–673. doi:10.1111/j.1529-8817.2004.03202.x. S2CID 83695348.
  5. ^ Parrow, M.W.; Burkholder, J.M. (2003). "Reproduction and sexuality in Pfiesteria shumwayae (Dinophyceae)". J. Phycol. 39 (4): 697–711. doi:10.1046/j.1529-8817.2003.03057.x. S2CID 86061227.
  6. ^ Eichhorn, Susan E.; Raven, Peter H.; Evert, Ray Franklin (2005). Biology of plants. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company. pp. 205. ISBN 978-0-7167-1007-3.
  7. ^ . Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2008-01-06.
  8. ^ Miller TR, Belas R (2003). "Pfiesteria piscicida, P. shumwayae, and other Pfiesteria-like dinoflagellates". Res. Microbiol. 154 (2): 85–90. doi:10.1016/S0923-2508(03)00027-5. PMID 12648722.
  9. ^ Peglar MT, Nerad TA, Anderson OR, Gillevet PM (2004). "Identification of amoebae implicated in the life cycle of Pfiesteria and Pfiesteria-like dinoflagellates". J. Eukaryot. Microbiol. 51 (5): 542–52. doi:10.1111/j.1550-7408.2004.tb00290.x. PMID 15537089. S2CID 43191086.
  10. ^ Burkholder JM, Gordon AS, Moeller PD, et al. (2005). "Demonstration of toxicity to fish and to mammalian cells by Pfiesteria species: comparison of assay methods and strains". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 102 (9): 3471–6. doi:10.1073/pnas.0500168102. PMC 552923. PMID 15728353.
  11. ^ Vogelbein WK, Lovko VJ, Shields JD, et al. (2002). "Pfiesteria shumwayae kills fish by micropredation not exotoxin secretion". Nature. 418 (6901): 967–70. doi:10.1038/nature01008. PMID 12198545. S2CID 4388577.
  12. ^ Moeller PD, Beauchesne KR, Huncik KM, Davis WC, Christopher SJ, Riggs-Gelasco P, Gelasco AK (2007). "Metal complexes and free radical toxins produced by Pfiesteria piscicida". Environ. Sci. Technol. 41 (4): 1166–72. doi:10.1021/es0617993. PMID 17598275.
  13. ^ Greenberg DR, Tracy JK, Grattan LM (1998). "A critical review of the Pfiesteria hysteria hypothesis". Md Med J. 47 (3): 133–6. PMID 9601200.
  14. ^ CDC National Conference on Pfiesteria: From Biology to Public Health October 18–20, 2000, Atlanta GA
  15. ^ Collier DN, Burke WA (2002). "Pfiesteria complex organisms and human illness". South. Med. J. 95 (7): 720–6. doi:10.1097/00007611-200295070-00012. PMID 12144078. S2CID 38879446.
  16. ^ Morris JG, Grattan LM, Wilson LA, et al. (2006). "Occupational exposure to pfiesteria species in estuarine waters is not a risk factor for illness". Environ. Health Perspect. 114 (7): 1038–43. doi:10.1289/ehp.8627. PMC 1513342. PMID 16835056.
  17. ^ Shoemaker RC, Lawson W (2007). "Pfiesteria in estuarine waters: the question of health risks". Environ. Health Perspect. 115 (3): A126–7. doi:10.1289/ehp.115-a126. PMC 1849899. PMID 17431460.

Further reading edit

  • Barker, Rodney (1998). And the Waters Turned to Blood. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-83845-8.—An in-depth story of the discovery

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pfiesteria.

January 01, 1970
pfiesteria, genus, heterotrophic, dinoflagellates, that, been, associated, with, harmful, algal, blooms, fish, kills, complex, organisms, pcos, were, claimed, responsible, large, fish, kills, 1980s, 1990s, coast, north, carolina, tributaries, chesapeake, react. Pfiesteria is a genus of heterotrophic dinoflagellates that has been associated with harmful algal blooms and fish kills Pfiesteria complex organisms PCOs were claimed to be responsible for large fish kills in the 1980s and 1990s on the coast of North Carolina and in tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay In reaction to the toxic outbreaks six states along the US east coast have initiated a monitoring program to allow for rapid response in the case of new outbreaks and to better understand the factors involved in Pfiesteria toxicity and outbreaks 1 New molecular detection methods have revealed that Pfiesteria has a worldwide distribution 2 Pfiesteria Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Clade Diaphoretickes Clade SAR Clade Alveolata Phylum Myzozoa Superclass Dinoflagellata Class Dinophyceae Order Thoracosphaerales Family Pfiesteriaceae Genus Pfiesteria Species Pfiesteria piscicidaPfiesteria shumwayae Contents 1 Discovery and naming 2 Species 3 Feeding strategy 4 Controversy 5 In fiction 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksDiscovery and naming editPfiesteria was discovered in 1988 by North Carolina State University researchers JoAnn Burkholder and Ed Noga The genus was named after Lois Ann Pfiester 1936 1992 a biologist who did much of the early research on dinoflagellates 3 Species editThere are two species described Pfiesteria piscicida from Latin Pisces fish cida killer 3 which has a complex life cycle 4 and the species Pfiesteria shumwayae also with a complex life cycle 5 The type locality of Pfiesteria piscicida is Pamlico River Estuary North Carolina U S A Feeding strategy editEarly research resulted in the hypothesis that Pfiesteria is a predatory dinoflagellate that acts as an ambush predator utilizing a hit and run feeding strategy Release of a toxin paralyzes the respiratory systems of susceptible fish such as menhaden causing death by suffocation Pfiesteria then consumes the tissue sloughed off its dead prey 6 Controversy editPfiesteria biology and the role of PCOs in killing fish and sickening humans have been subject to several controversies and conflicting research results over the last few years 7 8 Life cycle Early research suggested a complex lifecycle of Pfiesteria piscicida but this has become controversial over the past few years due to conflicting research results Especially contested is the question of whether toxic amoeboid forms exist 9 Toxicity to fish The hypothesis of Pfiesteria killing fish via releasing a toxin in the water has been questioned as no toxin could be isolated and no toxicity was observed in some experiments Toxicity appears to depend on the strains and assays used 10 The lesions observed on fish presumed killed by Pfiesteria have been attributed to water molds by some researchers However it has also been established that Pfiesteria shumwayae kills fish by feeding on their skin through myzocytosis 11 In early 2007 a highly unstable toxin produced by the toxic form of Pfiesteria piscicida was identified 12 Human illness The effects of PCOs on humans have been questioned leading to the Pfiesteria hysteria hypothesis A critical review of this hypothesis in the late 1990s concluded that Pfiesteria related illness was unlikely to be caused by mass hysteria 13 Concluding that there was no evidence to support the existence of Pfiesteria associated human illness the National Institutes of Health discontinued funding for research into the effects of Pfiesteria toxin on humans shortly after a CDC sponsored Pfiesteria conference in 2000 14 A subsequent evaluation however concluded that PCOs can cause human illness 15 The controversy about the risk of Pfiesteria exposure to human health is still ongoing 16 17 In fiction editA fictional Pfiesteria species dangerous to humans featured in James Powlik s 1999 environmental thriller Sea Change The fictional species Pfiesteria homicida was one of the antagonists in Frank Schatzing s 2004 novel The Swarm They are a biological weapon created by the yrr the main antagonists of the novel References edit Magnien RE 2001 State monitoring activities related to Pfiesteria like organisms Environ Health Perspect 109 Suppl 5 711 4 doi 10 2307 3454918 JSTOR 3454918 PMC 1240602 PMID 11677180 Rublee PA Remington DL Schaefer EF Marshall MM 2005 Detection of the Dinozoans Pfiesteria piscicida and P shumwayae a review of detection methods and geographic distribution PDF J Eukaryot Microbiol 52 2 83 9 doi 10 1111 j 1550 7408 2005 05202007 x PMID 15817112 S2CID 15838304 a b Steidinger K A Burkholder J M Glasgow H B Jr Hobbs C W Garrett J K Truby E W Noga E J Smith S A 1996 Pfiesteria piscicida gen et sp nov Pfiesteriaceae fam nov a new toxic dinoflagellate with a complex life cycle and behavior J Phycol 32 157 164 doi 10 1111 j 0022 3646 1996 00157 x S2CID 85246132 Parrow M W Burkholder J M 2004 The sexual life cycles of Pfiesteria piscicida and cryptoperidiniopsoids dinophyceae J Phycol 40 4 664 673 doi 10 1111 j 1529 8817 2004 03202 x S2CID 83695348 Parrow M W Burkholder J M 2003 Reproduction and sexuality in Pfiesteria shumwayae Dinophyceae J Phycol 39 4 697 711 doi 10 1046 j 1529 8817 2003 03057 x S2CID 86061227 Eichhorn Susan E Raven Peter H Evert Ray Franklin 2005 Biology of plants New York W H Freeman and Company pp 205 ISBN 978 0 7167 1007 3 Pfiesteria Frequently Asked Questions Archived from the original on 2007 09 28 Retrieved 2008 01 06 Miller TR Belas R 2003 Pfiesteria piscicida P shumwayae and other Pfiesteria like dinoflagellates Res Microbiol 154 2 85 90 doi 10 1016 S0923 2508 03 00027 5 PMID 12648722 Peglar MT Nerad TA Anderson OR Gillevet PM 2004 Identification of amoebae implicated in the life cycle of Pfiesteria and Pfiesteria like dinoflagellates J Eukaryot Microbiol 51 5 542 52 doi 10 1111 j 1550 7408 2004 tb00290 x PMID 15537089 S2CID 43191086 Burkholder JM Gordon AS Moeller PD et al 2005 Demonstration of toxicity to fish and to mammalian cells by Pfiesteria species comparison of assay methods and strains Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 102 9 3471 6 doi 10 1073 pnas 0500168102 PMC 552923 PMID 15728353 Vogelbein WK Lovko VJ Shields JD et al 2002 Pfiesteria shumwayae kills fish by micropredation not exotoxin secretion Nature 418 6901 967 70 doi 10 1038 nature01008 PMID 12198545 S2CID 4388577 Moeller PD Beauchesne KR Huncik KM Davis WC Christopher SJ Riggs Gelasco P Gelasco AK 2007 Metal complexes and free radical toxins produced by Pfiesteria piscicida Environ Sci Technol 41 4 1166 72 doi 10 1021 es0617993 PMID 17598275 Greenberg DR Tracy JK Grattan LM 1998 A critical review of the Pfiesteria hysteria hypothesis Md Med J 47 3 133 6 PMID 9601200 CDC National Conference on Pfiesteria From Biology to Public Health October 18 20 2000 Atlanta GA Collier DN Burke WA 2002 Pfiesteria complex organisms and human illness South Med J 95 7 720 6 doi 10 1097 00007611 200295070 00012 PMID 12144078 S2CID 38879446 Morris JG Grattan LM Wilson LA et al 2006 Occupational exposure to pfiesteria species in estuarine waters is not a risk factor for illness Environ Health Perspect 114 7 1038 43 doi 10 1289 ehp 8627 PMC 1513342 PMID 16835056 Shoemaker RC Lawson W 2007 Pfiesteria in estuarine waters the question of health risks Environ Health Perspect 115 3 A126 7 doi 10 1289 ehp 115 a126 PMC 1849899 PMID 17431460 Further reading editBarker Rodney 1998 And the Waters Turned to Blood New York Simon amp Schuster ISBN 978 0 684 83845 8 An in depth story of the discoveryExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pfiesteria Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pfiesteria amp oldid 1200243154, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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