Assimilation, Accumulation, and Metabolism of Dinophysistoxins (DTXs) and Pectenotoxins (PTXs) in the Several Tissues of Japanese Scallop Patinopecten yessoensis.

Japanese scallops, Patinopecten yessoensis, were fed with the toxic dinoflagellate Dinophysis fortii to elucidate the relative magnitude of assimilation, accumulation, and metabolism of diarrhetic shellfish toxins (DSTs) and pectenotoxins (PTXs). Three individual scallops were separately exposed to cultured D. fortii for four days.

Indirect quantitation of saxitoxin by HPLC with post-column oxidation and fluorometric detection.

The indirect identification and quantification of saxitoxin (STX) using other STX analogues by high-performance liquid chromatography with post-column oxidation and fluorescent detection (HPLC-FD) was investigated. Decarbamoylsaxitoxin (dcSTX) among the many STX analogues was selected as an external standard to identify and quantify STX. The retention time of STX in shellfish extracts by HPLC-FD was reproducibly estimated by using the retention time of dcSTX and the separation factor (α) between STX and dcSTX.

Production of 16.5% v/v ethanol from seagrass seeds.

Ethanol fermentation on seeds of seagrass Zostera marina was studied. The seeds were collected from the annual plant colony of Z. marina at Hinase Bay, Okayama.

Analysis of extracellular alginate lyase and its gene from a marine bacterial strain, Pseudoalteromonas atlantica AR06.

Pseudoalteromonas atlantica AR06 is a marine bacterial strain that can utilize alginate as a sole source of carbon and energy. The extracellular protein fraction prepared from the AR06 cultivation media exhibited alginate lyase activity to depolymerize the alginate molecules having homopolymeric and heteropolymeric forms of mannuronate and guluronate so as to mainly convert into the dimer to tetramer. A DNA fragment encoding a portion of alginate lyase was amplified from AR06 genomic DNA by PCR using a set of degenerated primers, and then the whole alginate lyase gene, named alyA, and its flanking regions were obtained from a cosmid library of AR06 genomic DNA.

Mycosporine-like amino acids extracted from scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) ovaries: UV protection and growth stimulation activities on human cells.

Scallops (Patinopecten yessoensis) are extensively cultured and landed in Japan. During the processing of scallops, large amounts of internal organs and shells are discharged as industrial wastes. To reduce the burden on the environment, effective utilization and disposal methods of the wastes are required.

Occurrence and density of vibrio parahaemolyticus in live edible crustaceans from markets in China.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a marine bacterium causing foodborne disease. Occurrence of the bacterium was investigated in six species of edible crustaceans available from markets in mainland China. The bacterium was detected in 22 of 45 whole-body, shell, and feces samples, including mitten crabs, which are supposed to be produced in freshwater ponds.