title: A novel TTX-producing Aeromonas isolated from the ovary of Takifugu obscurus.
abstract: Puffer fish (Takifugu obscurus) from the Yangtze River of China were screened for tetrodotoxin-producing bacteria. An Aeromonas strain was isolated from the ovary of the puffer fish and was shown to produce tetrodotoxin; this strain was denoted Ne-1. The identity of tetrodotoxin produced by strain Ne-1 was confirmed by mouse bioassay, high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass chromatography (LC-MS), and ELISA. Strain Ne-1 was characterized morphologically, biochemically, and by 16S rDNA phylogenetic analysis; these analyses suggested that strain Ne-1 is closely related to Aeromonas molluscorum. Given that strain Ne-1 was isolated from the ovary of T. obscurus, we propose that the TTX-producing Aeromonas sp. is a parasite or symbiotic bacterium rather than a sample contaminant. Collectively, our studies suggest that Aeromonas sp. strain Ne-1 produces tetrodotoxin in T. obscurus.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 201306, China.
authors.forename: Guimei
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jilin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Shenghua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Daming
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Baolong
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bao
mesh_terms: D000333:Aeromonas / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D023721:Tetraodontiformes / Q000382:microbiology*; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D013779:Tetrodotoxin