New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Immunofluorescent detection of a PSP-producing dinoflagellate,
Alexandrium minutum, from Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
F. H. CHANG
National Institute of Water & Atmospheric
Research Ltd
P. O. Box 14 901, Kilbirnie
Wellington, New Zealand
email: h.chang@niwa.cri.nz
I. GARTHWAITE
AgResearch
Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre
Private Bag 3123
Hamilton, New Zealand
D. M. ANDERSON
Biology Department
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543
United States
N. TOWERS
AgResearch
Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre
Private Bag 3123
Hamilton, New Zealand
R. STEWART
National Institute of Water & Atmospheric
Research Ltd
P. O. Box 14 901, Kilbirnie
Wellington, New Zealand
L. MACKENZIE
Cawthron Institute
Private Bag 2
Nelson, New Zealand
Abstract In this study the cross-reactivity of an antibody
raised against cell surface antigens of
Alexandrium minutum Halim, a
dinoflagellate isolated from the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, during the 1993
toxic shellfish outbreaks, was tested on other strains of the same species
isolated from a variety of locations, as well as a wide range of unrelated
phytoplankton using an indirect immunofluorescence staining technique. The
antibody showed positive reactions to all four isolates of
A. minutum
from different localities in New Zealand and one from South Australia. The
antibody also showed a positive, but weaker, reaction to
A. ostenfeldii
(two isolates) from New Zealand but no reaction with
A. lusitanicum, a
species which is morphologically similar to
A. minutum. No
cross-reactivity was observed with 51 species or strains from 10 different
algal classes tested. The antibody bound to cells of
A. minutum
preserved with either 2.5% glutaraldehyde or 3.5% formaldehyde. Recognition of
cells in stationary growth phase, including the encysted form, however, was
generally weaker than for cells growing exponentially. The cell surface
location of the antigen was confirmed using confocal laser scanning
microscopy.
Keywords immunofluorescence staining; antibody; toxic
dinoflagellate; Alexandrium minutum; Bay of Plenty
M98064
Received 9 September 1998; accepted 8 May 1999
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (1561K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
This year's abstracts |
Journal home page |
All abstracts |
Publishing home page
