TY - JOUR
T1 - Variability of tetrodotoxin and of its analogues in the red-spotted newt, Notophthalmus viridescens (Amphibia
T2 - Urodela: Salamandridae)
AU - Yotsu-Yamashita, Mari
AU - Gilhen, John
AU - Russell, Ronald W.
AU - Krysko, Kenneth L.
AU - Melaun, Christian
AU - Kurz, Alexander
AU - Kauferstein, Silke
AU - Kordis, Dusan
AU - Mebs, Dietrich
N1 - Funding Information:
The help and support of Dr. Walter E. Meshaka, State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA, Dr. Andrew L. Mack, Powdermill Nature Reserve, Rector, PA, and of the people of the Adirondack Ecological Center, Newcomb, NY, is highly appreciated. This work was supported by the cabinet office, government of Japan, through its funding program for the Next Generation World-Leading Researchers (LS012) to M.Y Y. Financial support was provided to Ch. M. by the research funding programme “LOEWE – Landes-Offensive zur Entwicklung Wissenschaftlich-ökonomischer Exzellenz” of Hesse’s Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and the Arts.
PY - 2012/2
Y1 - 2012/2
N2 - Efts and adult specimens (n=142) of the red-spotted newt Notophthalmus viridescens from various locations in Canada and USA were analyzed for the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and of its analogues 6. -epitetrodotoxin and 11-oxotetrodotoxin. Considerable individual variations in toxin levels were found within and among populations from New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia ranging from non-detectable to 69μg TTX per g newt. TTX and its analogues were absent in efts and adults from various locations in the Canadian province Nova Scotia, the northernmost distribution of the newt, and in adults from Florida. Newts kept in captivity for several years and reared on toxin-free diet lost their toxicity. Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis of specimens from the various populations using three phylogenetic markers (COI, ND2 and 16S RNA) revealed that populations from the northern states of the USA and Canada are genetically homogenous, whereas the newts from Florida exhibited a much higher level of genetic divergence. An exogenous source of TTX in the newts either via the food chain or by synthesis of symbiotic bacteria is suggested to explain the high variability and lack of TTX in certain populations.
AB - Efts and adult specimens (n=142) of the red-spotted newt Notophthalmus viridescens from various locations in Canada and USA were analyzed for the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and of its analogues 6. -epitetrodotoxin and 11-oxotetrodotoxin. Considerable individual variations in toxin levels were found within and among populations from New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia ranging from non-detectable to 69μg TTX per g newt. TTX and its analogues were absent in efts and adults from various locations in the Canadian province Nova Scotia, the northernmost distribution of the newt, and in adults from Florida. Newts kept in captivity for several years and reared on toxin-free diet lost their toxicity. Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis of specimens from the various populations using three phylogenetic markers (COI, ND2 and 16S RNA) revealed that populations from the northern states of the USA and Canada are genetically homogenous, whereas the newts from Florida exhibited a much higher level of genetic divergence. An exogenous source of TTX in the newts either via the food chain or by synthesis of symbiotic bacteria is suggested to explain the high variability and lack of TTX in certain populations.
KW - 6-epitetrodotoxin
KW - Newt
KW - Notophthalmus viridescens
KW - Phylogeny
KW - Tetrodotoxin
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U2 - 10.1016/j.toxicon.2011.12.004
DO - 10.1016/j.toxicon.2011.12.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 22197660
AN - SCOPUS:84855226761
VL - 59
SP - 257
EP - 264
JO - Toxicon
JF - Toxicon
SN - 0041-0101
IS - 2
ER -