Toxic effect and adaptation in Scenedesmus intermedius to anthropogenic chloramphenicol contamination: genetic versus physiological mechanisms to rapid acquisition of xenobiotic resistance

Anthropogenic water pollution is producing a challenge to the survival of phytoplankton populations. From an ecological point of view, the tolerance of these microorganisms to water pollution is of paramount importance since they are the principal primary producers of aquatic ecosystems. The adaptat...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecotoxicology (London) 2009-07, Vol.18 (5), p.481-487
Main Authors: Sánchez-Fortún, S, Marvá, F, Rouco, M, Costas, E, López-Rodas, V
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Biological
Anthropogenic factors
Aquatic ecosystems
Chloramphenicol - toxicity
Drug Resistance - genetics
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecology
Ecotoxicology
Environment
Environmental Management
Microorganisms
Mutation
Photosynthesis - drug effects
Phytoplankton
Scenedesmus - drug effects
Scenedesmus - genetics
Scenedesmus - growth & development
Scenedesmus intermedius
Time Factors
Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity
Water pollution
Xenobiotics - toxicity
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Anthropogenic water pollution is producing a challenge to the survival of phytoplankton populations. From an ecological point of view, the tolerance of these microorganisms to water pollution is of paramount importance since they are the principal primary producers of aquatic ecosystems. The adaptation of a common chlorophyta species (Scenedesmus intermedius) exposed to selected dose-response chloramphenicol (CAP) concentrations has been analyzed. A fluctuation analysis demonstrated that CAP-resistant cells arise due to spontaneous mutation which occurs randomly prior to the antibiotic exposure. CAP-inhibited growth and photosynthetic performance of algal cells at 0.28 mg/l, and the IC₅₀₍₇₂₎ value was established in 0.10 mg/l for both parameters. The mutation rate from CAP sensitivity to resistance was 1.01 x 10⁻⁵ mutations per cell division, while the frequency of CAP-resistant allele in non-polluted environment was estimated to be 5.5 CAP-resistant mutants per 10³ sensitive-cells. These results demonstrate that resistant mutants exhibit a diminished fitness until 5 mg/l of CAP, thus enabling the survival of microalgae population.
ISSN:0963-9292
1573-3017
DOI:10.1007/s10646-009-0303-8