Microsporidia parasites disrupt the responses to cadmium exposure in a gammarid.
Microsporidia parasites are commonly found in amphipods, where they are often asymptomatic, vertically-transmitted and have several effects on host sexuality and behaviour. As amphipods are often used as models in ecotoxicological studies, we investigated the effect of microsporidian infections on energy reserves and defence capacities of Gammarus roeseli under cadmium stress. Only females were infected by two microsporidia parasites: Dictyocoela roeselum or Dictyocoela muelleri. In physiological conditions, microsporidia had no major effect on energy reserves and defence capacities of G. roeseli, while under cadmium exposure, energy reserves and antioxidant defence were weaker in infected females. Moreover, higher malondialdehyde levels detected in infected females revealed that they suffered more cellular damages. Our results suggest that microsporidia may affect gammarid fitness in stressful conditions, when parasitic stress cannot be compensated by the host. Consequently, microsporidia parasites should be a factor necessary to take into account in ecotoxicology studies involving amphipods.
Laboratoire des Interactions Ecotoxicologie Biodiversité Ecosystèmes (LIEBE), Université Paul Verlaine - METZ, CNRS UMR 7146, Campus Bridoux, Avenue du Général Delestraint, 57070 Metz, France. eric.gismondi@hotmail.fr
Eric
E
Gismondi
Thierry
T
Rigaud
Jean-Nicolas
JN
Beisel
Carole
C
Cossu-Leguille
D033304:Amphipoda / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D016814:Microsporidia / Q000502:physiology*; D010271:Parasites / Q000502:physiology*; D013045:Species Specificity
D002104:Cadmium; D008315:Malondialdehyde