Labyrinthula zosterae sp. nov., the Causative Agent of Wasting Disease of Eelgrass, Zostera marina

Muehlstein, Lisa K.; Porter, David D.; Short, Frederick T.

doi:10.2307/3759933

Cited by 116 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 26 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The Labyrinthulomycete Labyrinthula zosterae, a genus related to Phytophthora, has been identified as the pathogen causing wasting disease [58,59]. Although L. zosterae has been shown to be able to cause wasting disease symptoms [58], not all species from the Labyrinthula genus are pathogenic [59]. Indeed, recent work has shown that current isolates from European Z. marina populations display varying virulence [60,61], and Labyrinthula spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Marine Phytophthora species can hamper conservation and restoration of vegetated coastal ecosystems

Govers

Veld²,

Meffert³

et al. 2016

Proc. R. Soc. B.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Phytophthora species are potent pathogens that can devastate terrestrial plants, causing billions of dollars of damage yearly to agricultural crops and harming fragile ecosystems worldwide. Yet, virtually nothing is known about the distribution and pathogenicity of their marine relatives. This is surprising, as marine plants form vital habitats in coastal zones worldwide (i.e. mangrove forests, salt marshes, seagrass beds), and disease may be an important bottleneck for the conservation and restoration of these rapidly declining ecosystems. We are the first to report on widespread infection of Phytophthora and Halophytophthora species on a common seagrass species, Zostera marina (eelgrass), across the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean. In addition, we tested the effects of Halophytophthora sp. Zostera and Phytophthora gemini on Z. marina seed germination in a full-factorial laboratory experiment under various environmental conditions. Results suggest that Phytophthora species are widespread as we found these oomycetes in eelgrass beds in six countries across the North Atlantic and Mediterranean. Infection by Halophytophthora sp . Zostera, P. gemini , or both, strongly affected sexual reproduction by reducing seed germination sixfold. Our findings have important implications for seagrass ecology, because these putative pathogens probably negatively affect ecosystem functioning, as well as current restoration and conservation efforts.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine Phytophthora species can hamper conservation and restoration of vegetated coastal ecosystems

Govers

Veld²,

Meffert³

et al. 2016

Proc. R. Soc. B.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Species limits in the genus Labyrinthula have long been considered equivocal (Young 1943), and is reflected by three of 13 species considered doubtful, and another eight excluded as synonyms, or considered nomen nudum or of another family, in Dick's (2001) treatment of the group. Many studies (e.g., Olive 1975;Porter 1990;Muehlstein et al 1991), including the bionomic review by Pokorny (1967) express a major reliance on appearance in vitro including cell length, width, and shape, colony shape in liquid or agar, and color in mass; habitat, cell division, aggregation and zoospore production, speed, nuclear and cytoplasmic condition, ectoplasmic network descriptions, and other observations were also included variously. However, many of these traits commonly overlap among the species Pokorny (1967) discusses, and various isolates of the same putative type (or even subsamples of a given isolate) can vary in nearly all aspects of their appearance depending on age, nutrient sources, and the specific culture medium and conditions used (Watson 1957;Pokorny 1967;Muehlstein et al 1991;D.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some eleven species of Labyrinthula are currently recognized, but are difficult to distinguish from one another on the basis of morphology alone (Dick 2001;Bigelow et al 2005). Significantly, only two epithets, zosterae (Muehlstein et al 1991) and terrestris (Bigelow et al 2005), have been applied to sequences from Labyrinthula isolates available in public databases. In contrast, culture-independent studies of environmental 18S rDNA sequences imply that several, and likely many, species of Labyrinthula are typically present in marine ecosystems (e.g., Collado-Mercado et al 2010).…”

Section: Communicated By Kenneth Duntonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional, Phylogenetic and Host-Geographic Signatures of Labyrinthula spp. Provide for Putative Species Delimitation and a Global-Scale View of Seagrass Wasting Disease

Martín

Chiari

Boone

et al. 2016

Estuaries and Coasts

102

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Seagrass meadows form ecologically and economically valuable coastal habitat on every continental margin except the Antarctic, but their areal extent is declining by approximately 2-5 % per year. Seagrass wasting disease is a contributing factor in these declines, with the protist Labyrinthula identified as the etiologic agent. To help elucidate the role of Labyrinthula spp. in global seagrass declines, we surveyed roughly one fourth of all seagrass species to identify Labyrinthula diversity at the strain and/or species level, combining results from culturing methods and two common nuclear DNA markers: the ITS and 18S regions of the ribosomal RNA gene complex. After assaying a subset of the resulting isolates (of which 170 were newly sequenced), we produced a cladogenic context for putative seagrasspathogenic versus non-pathogenic Labyrinthula while also defining host and geographic ranges. Assays also suggest that pathogenicity is consistently high (when present; and, even when comparing susceptibility of US East-versus West Coast Zostera marina hosts) while virulence is variable, that some isolate-host combinations have the potential for host cross-infection, and that several modes of transmission can be effective. Taken together, these data provide additional means for delimiting putative species of Labyrinthula, suggesting at least five seagrass-pathogenic and perhaps ten or more non-pathogenic marine Bspecies^, yielding a working definition for ecologists and epidemiologists attempting to reconcile the sundry data related to seagrass wasting disease.

show abstract

“…There was no evidence in the wrack that did accumulate in 2001 of the black necrotic areas that are characteristic of the "wasting disease" of Zostera, which is caused by the slime mould Labyrinthula zosterae (Muehlstein et al 1991;Burdick et al 1993;Short and Burdick 1996). Eutrophication has been implicated in the decline of Zostera beds (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decline of Canada geese ( Branta canadensis ) and common goldeneye ( Bucephala clangula ) associated with a collapse of eelgrass ( Zostera marina ) in a Nova Scotia estuary

Seymour

Miller

Garbary

2002

Helgoland Marine Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mean numbers of migrant Canada geese (Branta canadensis) in Antigonish Harbour in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada) during October to December were similar (approx. 450-500 birds) for the period 1998-2000. Similarly, during this period, geese used two foraging sites. However, in 2001, the average number of birds decreased by half and the primary foraging sites were used only rarely. This coincided with a decline of about 95% in the biomass of roots and rhizomes of eelgrass (Zostera marina) that occurred between October 2000 and 2001. Eelgrass is the principal food of geese in this estuary. In addition, there was a reduction of around 50% in the numbers of common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula), which feed on invertebrates associated with eelgrass. Lower than usual weekly abundances of geese and goldeneye are probably the result of an unusually short residence time in the estuary, rather than a decline in the total number of visiting migrants. We attribute these changes in the distribution and abundance of geese and goldeneyes to the dramatic decline in eelgrass.

show abstract

Labyrinthula zosterae sp. nov., the Causative Agent of Wasting Disease of Eelgrass, Zostera marina

Cited by 116 publications

References 26 publications

Marine Phytophthora species can hamper conservation and restoration of vegetated coastal ecosystems

Marine Phytophthora species can hamper conservation and restoration of vegetated coastal ecosystems

Functional, Phylogenetic and Host-Geographic Signatures of Labyrinthula spp. Provide for Putative Species Delimitation and a Global-Scale View of Seagrass Wasting Disease

Decline of Canada geese ( Branta canadensis ) and common goldeneye ( Bucephala clangula ) associated with a collapse of eelgrass ( Zostera marina ) in a Nova Scotia estuary

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About