The Common Sunstar Crossaster papposus —A Neurotoxic Starfish
Saxitoxins (STXs) are a family of potent neurotoxins produced naturally by certain species of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria which are extremely toxic to mammalian nervous systems. The accumulation of STXs in bivalve molluscs can significantly impact animal and human health. Recent work conducted i...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:4cb60c5308414c91ba05942687a9e36f 2023-05-15T17:38:35+02:00 The Common Sunstar Crossaster papposus —A Neurotoxic Starfish Karl J. Dean Ryan P. Alexander Robert G. Hatfield Adam M. Lewis Lewis N. Coates Tom Collin Mickael Teixeira Alves Vanessa Lee Caroline Daumich Ruth Hicks Peter White Krista M. Thomas Jim R. Ellis Andrew D. Turner 2021-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3390/md19120695 https://doaj.org/article/4cb60c5308414c91ba05942687a9e36f EN eng MDPI AG https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/19/12/695 https://doaj.org/toc/1660-3397 doi:10.3390/md19120695 1660-3397 https://doaj.org/article/4cb60c5308414c91ba05942687a9e36f Marine Drugs, Vol 19, Iss 695, p 695 (2021) benthos north east Atlantic sunstars solasteridae paralytic shellfish toxins Biology (General) QH301-705.5 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3390/md19120695 2022-12-30T19:57:12Z Saxitoxins (STXs) are a family of potent neurotoxins produced naturally by certain species of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria which are extremely toxic to mammalian nervous systems. The accumulation of STXs in bivalve molluscs can significantly impact animal and human health. Recent work conducted in the North Sea highlighted the widespread presence of various saxitoxins in a range of benthic organisms, with the common sunstar ( Crossaster papposus ) demonstrating high concentrations of saxitoxins. In this study, an extensive sampling program was undertaken across multiple seas surrounding the UK, with 146 starfish and 5 brittlestars of multiple species analysed for STXs. All the common sunstars analysed ( n > 70) contained quantifiable levels of STXs, with the total concentrations ranging from 99 to 11,245 µg STX eq/kg. The common sunstars were statistically different in terms of toxin loading to all the other starfish species tested. Two distinct toxic profiles were observed in sunstars, a decarbomylsaxitoxin (dcSTX)-dominant profile which encompassed samples from most of the UK coast and an STX and gonyautoxin2 (GTX2) profile from the North Yorkshire coast of England. Compartmentalisation studies demonstrated that the female gonads exhibited the highest toxin concentrations of all the individual organs tested, with concentrations >40,000 µg STX eq/kg in one sample. All the sunstars, male or female, exhibited the presence of STXs in the skin, digestive glands and gonads. This study highlights that the common sunstar ubiquitously contains STXs, independent of the geographical location around the UK and often at concentrations many times higher than the current regulatory limits for STXs in molluscs; therefore, the common sunstar should be considered toxic hereafter. Article in Journal/Newspaper North East Atlantic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Marine Drugs 19 12 695 |
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Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
benthos north east Atlantic sunstars solasteridae paralytic shellfish toxins Biology (General) QH301-705.5 |
spellingShingle |
benthos north east Atlantic sunstars solasteridae paralytic shellfish toxins Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Karl J. Dean Ryan P. Alexander Robert G. Hatfield Adam M. Lewis Lewis N. Coates Tom Collin Mickael Teixeira Alves Vanessa Lee Caroline Daumich Ruth Hicks Peter White Krista M. Thomas Jim R. Ellis Andrew D. Turner The Common Sunstar Crossaster papposus —A Neurotoxic Starfish |
topic_facet |
benthos north east Atlantic sunstars solasteridae paralytic shellfish toxins Biology (General) QH301-705.5 |
description |
Saxitoxins (STXs) are a family of potent neurotoxins produced naturally by certain species of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria which are extremely toxic to mammalian nervous systems. The accumulation of STXs in bivalve molluscs can significantly impact animal and human health. Recent work conducted in the North Sea highlighted the widespread presence of various saxitoxins in a range of benthic organisms, with the common sunstar ( Crossaster papposus ) demonstrating high concentrations of saxitoxins. In this study, an extensive sampling program was undertaken across multiple seas surrounding the UK, with 146 starfish and 5 brittlestars of multiple species analysed for STXs. All the common sunstars analysed ( n > 70) contained quantifiable levels of STXs, with the total concentrations ranging from 99 to 11,245 µg STX eq/kg. The common sunstars were statistically different in terms of toxin loading to all the other starfish species tested. Two distinct toxic profiles were observed in sunstars, a decarbomylsaxitoxin (dcSTX)-dominant profile which encompassed samples from most of the UK coast and an STX and gonyautoxin2 (GTX2) profile from the North Yorkshire coast of England. Compartmentalisation studies demonstrated that the female gonads exhibited the highest toxin concentrations of all the individual organs tested, with concentrations >40,000 µg STX eq/kg in one sample. All the sunstars, male or female, exhibited the presence of STXs in the skin, digestive glands and gonads. This study highlights that the common sunstar ubiquitously contains STXs, independent of the geographical location around the UK and often at concentrations many times higher than the current regulatory limits for STXs in molluscs; therefore, the common sunstar should be considered toxic hereafter. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Karl J. Dean Ryan P. Alexander Robert G. Hatfield Adam M. Lewis Lewis N. Coates Tom Collin Mickael Teixeira Alves Vanessa Lee Caroline Daumich Ruth Hicks Peter White Krista M. Thomas Jim R. Ellis Andrew D. Turner |
author_facet |
Karl J. Dean Ryan P. Alexander Robert G. Hatfield Adam M. Lewis Lewis N. Coates Tom Collin Mickael Teixeira Alves Vanessa Lee Caroline Daumich Ruth Hicks Peter White Krista M. Thomas Jim R. Ellis Andrew D. Turner |
author_sort |
Karl J. Dean |
title |
The Common Sunstar Crossaster papposus —A Neurotoxic Starfish |
title_short |
The Common Sunstar Crossaster papposus —A Neurotoxic Starfish |
title_full |
The Common Sunstar Crossaster papposus —A Neurotoxic Starfish |
title_fullStr |
The Common Sunstar Crossaster papposus —A Neurotoxic Starfish |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Common Sunstar Crossaster papposus —A Neurotoxic Starfish |
title_sort |
common sunstar crossaster papposus —a neurotoxic starfish |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/md19120695 https://doaj.org/article/4cb60c5308414c91ba05942687a9e36f |
genre |
North East Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North East Atlantic |
op_source |
Marine Drugs, Vol 19, Iss 695, p 695 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/19/12/695 https://doaj.org/toc/1660-3397 doi:10.3390/md19120695 1660-3397 https://doaj.org/article/4cb60c5308414c91ba05942687a9e36f |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/md19120695 |
container_title |
Marine Drugs |
container_volume |
19 |
container_issue |
12 |
container_start_page |
695 |
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1766139090102648832 |