Microalgues tòxiques i canvi global Perquè han incrementat les proliferacions al litoral mediterrani?

The ocean and the continent converge in a very narrow line that is, nonetheless, truly relevant to the health, leisure, and economy of our society. The Mediterranean coastline has undergone major changes over the last fifty years, which is evident in the alteration of its microalgae species. The proliferation of dinoflagellates is now common in microscopic organism communities in this ecosystem as a result of the modifications caused by humans and climate change. The increased frequency with which toxic microalgae blooms are detected has been key to raising awareness of this change.

Allelopathic Inhibition by the Bacteria Bacillus cereus BE23 on Growth and Photosynthesis of the Macroalga Ulva prolifera

Bacteria-derived allelopathic effects on microalgae blooms have been studied with an aim to develop algicidal products that may have field applications. However, few such studies have been conducted on macroalgae. Therefore, a series of experiments was conducted to investigate the impacts of different concentrations of cell-free filtrate of the bacteria Bacillus cereus BE23 on Ulva prolifera. Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) were produced when these cells were exposed to high concentrations of filtrate relative to f/2 medium. In such conditions, the antioxidative defense system of the macroalga was activated as shown by activities of the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and upregulation of the associated genes upMnSOD and upCAT. High concentrations of filtrate also inhibited growth of U. prolifera, and reduced chlorophyll a and b, the photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm), and the electron transport rate (rETR). Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) was also inhibited, as evidenced by the downregulation of the photoprotective genes PsbS and LhcSR. Collectively, this evidence indicates that the alteration of energy dissipation caused excess cellular ROS accumulation that further induced oxidative damage on the photosynthesis apparatus of the D1 protein. The potential allelochemicals were further isolated by five steps of extraction and insolation (solid phase–liquid phase–open column–UPLC–preHPLC) and identified as N-phenethylacetamide, cyclo (L-Pro-L-Val), and cyclo (L-Pro-L-Pro) by HR-ESI-MS and NMR spectra. The diketopiperazines derivative, cyclo (L-Pro-L-Pro), exhibited the highest inhibition on U. prolifera and may be a good candidate as an algicidal product for green algae bloom control.