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Physiological responses of Raphidiopsis raciborskii (Cyanobacteria) strains to water conductivity: effect of sodium and magnesium ions

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Abstract

Cyanobacterial blooms dominated by Raphidiopsis raciborskii, a potential producer of saxitoxin (STX), are commonly reported in continental water bodies of semiarid regions with high conductivity (> 1000 µS cm−1). STX production is proposed as a cellular protection mechanism against salt stress. Here, we test the hypothesis that high conductivity favors R. raciborskii growth and that STX is advantageous under this condition. We included four tropical strains (two STX+ and two STX−) cultured for 12 days in control (450 µS cm−1) or in media with NaCl (10 mM) or MgCl2 (5 mM) (1500 µS cm−1). High conductivity (either NaCl or MgCl2) had neutral or positive effects on growth for all strains. Total STX content did not differ in response to salt concentrations. All strains could tolerate higher conductivity without signals of stress, as noted for stable photosynthetic parameters and protein expression profiles. For the strain with higher growth in salt, accumulation of intracellular carbohydrates occurred in early times (3 days). In conclusion, high conductivity is a favorable condition for R. raciborskii, with no clear relation with the ability to produce STX. Pronounced intraspecific variability was observed, a fact that must be considered for a better understanding of this species.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) (project MCTI/CNPq/ANA 23/2015). D.V.N.L. was supported by a fellowship from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) and C.L.G. was supported by a fellowship from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). We are thankful for the Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Unit platform (UEMP) at the Rio de Janeiro Federal University (UFRJ) run by Dr. Russolina B. Zingali for support in the use of the mass spectrometry equipment. We would also like to thank  the technicians Ana Lucia de Oliveira Carvalho e Augusto Vieira Magalhães both members of UEMP for helping us with the mass spectrometry.

Funding

This work was supported by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) (project MCTI/CNPq/ANA 23/2015). D.V.N.L. was supported by a fellowship from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) and C.L.G. was supported by a fellowship from CNPq.

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  1. Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21949-902, Brazil

    Daniel Vinícius Neves de Lima, Ana Beatriz Furlanetto Pacheco, Carolina Lage Goulart & Sandra Maria Feliciano de Oliveira e Azevedo

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  1. Daniel Vinícius Neves de Lima
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D.V.N.L. performed experiments, analyzed data, and wrote the manuscript. A.B.F.P. performed and supervised experiments, wrote the manuscript, reviewed, and edited the text. C.L.G. performed experiments and analyzed data. S.M.F.O.A. conceived the study design, supervised experiments, reviewed, and edited the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ana Beatriz Furlanetto Pacheco.

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de Lima, D.V.N., Pacheco, A.B.F., Goulart, C.L. et al. Physiological responses of Raphidiopsis raciborskii (Cyanobacteria) strains to water conductivity: effect of sodium and magnesium ions. Hydrobiologia 847, 2449–2464 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-020-04265-3

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