title: Shewanella putrefaciens, a major microbial species related to tetrodotoxin (TTX)-accumulation of puffer fish Lagocephalus lunaris.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the major micro-organisms, which were isolated from internal organs, related to tetrodotoxin (TTX)-accumulation of puffer fish Lagocephalus lunaris.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Puffer fish Lagocephalus lunaris around Chang Island in the Gulf of Thailand were collected to examine TTX-accumulation and microbial load in internal organs. The nine predominant micro-organisms isolated from the internal organs were determined TTX and studied in relation to the TTX-accumulation of the puffer fish. Shewanella putrefaciens, a predominant bacterium and related to the TTX-accumulation of the puffer fish, was examined growth and TTX-production after culture in modified Zobell medium. The results revealed that the average TTX-accumulation of the puffer fish directly varied to the bacterium load periodically, year-round. Furthermore, it coincided with the growth and the TTX-production of the bacterium, which grew slowly but produced high TTX at low temperature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Shewanella putrefaciens was a major bacterium relating to TTX-accumulation of puffer fish L. lunaris. It resulted in high TTX-accumulation of the puffer fish at low temperatures of seawater.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Temperature affected growth and TTX-production of S. putrefaciens that resulted in TTX accumulated in puffer fish L. lunaris.
authors.affiliation: School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian institute of Technology, Pathumthani, Thailand.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Auawithoothij
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noomhorm
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058491:Bacterial Load; D054712:Salinity; D012621:Seasons; D020614:Shewanella putrefaciens / Q000254:growth & development*; D013696:Temperature; D023721:Tetraodontiformes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D013779:Tetrodotoxin