Effects of Six Antibiotics on the Activity of the Photosynthetic Apparatus and Ammonium Uptake of Thallus of Porphyra yezoensis Min-Hyuk Oh, Yun Hee Kang1, Choon-Hwan Lee and Ik Kyo Chung1* Department of Molecular Biology and
1Department of Marine Science, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Korea
The modern integrated fish-seaweed mariculture has been tested to reduce the environmental impacts of an
intensive fed culture. To obtain the best seaweed bioremediation performance, the effects of therapeutants used forfish disease control on the selected seaweed species should be considered. As a selected seaweed, Porphyra yezoensiswas tested with six commercial antibiotics including erythromycin thiocyanate_A, erythromycin thiocyanate_B,oxytetracycline, doxycycline, pefloxacin, and amoxicillin trihydrate under the batch incubation at a photon fluxdensity of 10 µmol · m-2 · s-1 at 15°C. Among the tested commercial antibiotics, erythromycin thiocyanate_A,erythromycin thiocyanate_B, oxytetracycline, and doxycycline showed decreases in Fv/Fm, the photochemicalefficiency of photosystem II, with a dose-dependant and time-dependant manner. From the quenching analysis ofchlorophyll fluorescence, three differential patterns were observed in the antibiotics-treated Porphyra: (1) high non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and low photochemical quenching (qP) in the cases of Erythromycinthiocyanate_B and amoxicillin trihydrate, (2) high NPQ and high qP in the case of pefloxacin and (3) low NPQ andlow qP in the case of oxytetracycline. These results indicated that antibiotics affected in various ways on thephotosynthetic apparatus, reflecting differential lesion sites of antibiotics. In addition, the rates of ammoniumuptake also decreased with a decrease of Fv/Fm in P. yezoensis thalli treated with erythromycin thiocyanate_B andoxytetracycline. Therefore, the four antibiotics mentioned could affect the bioremediation capacity of the selectedseaweed species in the integrated fish-seaweed mariculture system due to the decrease of photosynthetic activityand the simultaneous decrease of ammonium uptake. Key Words: ammonium uptake, antibiotics, chlorophyll fluorescence, Porphyra, seaweed
Although antibiotics are no longer used routinely, they
INTRODUCTION
are still often used when a disease is diagnosed in thefish under cultivation. Nevertheless, antibiotics have
The fed mariculture including the intensive finfish
been widely used in some countries for the protection of
aquaculture has caused many environmental problems
diseases caused by bacteria such as Streptococcus,
(Wu 1995). Modern intensive monoculture requires high
Edwardsiella, Vivrio, and Aeromonas.
inputs of water, feeds, fertilizers and chemicals and
There are many different types of drugs used in finfish
inevitably produces considerable wastes. Some types of
aquaculture. Erythromycin thiocyanate is most effective
the fed aquaculture fish farm operations in the coastal
against gram-positive bacteria, such as Streptococcus
area can produce large amounts of waste. Therefore,
species and is not very effective in a bath treatment and
many aquaculture operations put enormous pressure on
should only be administered by injection or mixed in to
coastal habitats (Black 2001). To reduce the nutrient
the feed. Tetracycline and related antibiotics are
burden of the fish farm effluents, an integration of
considered broad-spectrum antibiotics (effective against
seaweed cultivation with fish aquaculture has been
a wide variety of bacteria) and they work well when
proposed (e.g., Chopin et al. 2001). However, in waste
mixed with food. Terramycin is a brand of
effluents, some chemicals and drugs, such as pesticides,
oxytetracycline manufactured by Pfizer that is FDA
disinfectants and antibiotics have been included and
approved for use in the production of salmonids,
which may negatively impact adjacent environment.
channel catfish and lobsters. The quinolones, includingnalidixic acid and oxolinic acid, like the tetracyclines, are
*Corresponding author (ikchung@pusan.ac.kr)
considered broad-spectrum antibiotics, and they work
against a wide variety of bacteria. The sulfa drugs,
Plant Efficiency Analyzer (PEA, Hansatech Instruments
including Romet®, are also considered to be broad-
Ltd., England) as described in Eu et al. (1996). The
intensity of the saturating light beam was 1,200 µmol
Antibiotics may affect critical metabolic processes such
photons· m–2 · s–1. The Photochemical efficiency of PSII
as mitochondrial and/or photosynthetic activities of
(Fv/Fm) expressed as the ratio of variable fluorescence
seaweeds growing in the biofiltration tank. If it is true,
(Fv) to maximum yield of fluorescence (Fm) was
then it is a critical problem for the seaweed integrated
measured. In addition, chlorophyll a fluorescence for
aquaculture system, because the metabolic activities of
quenching analysis was analyzed using Diving-PAM
seaweeds should be maintained in a proper level for the
(Walz, Germany). Thallus samples were dark-acclimated
biofiltration. Therefore, we investigated whether
for 10 min at room temperature. Photochemical
antibiotics frequently used in the fish aquaculture system
quenching (qP) and non-photochemical quenching
affect the activity of the photosynthetic apparatus and
(NPQ) were calculated according to Schreiber et al.
the nutrient removal rates in seaweeds or not for the
establishment of a sustainable seaweed integrated
For recovery experiment, the antibiotics-treated thalli
were rinsed with seawater to remove antibiotics,incubated to nutrient (NH +
MATERIALS AND METHODS
and than measured Fv/Fm using a PEA. Materials and Treatments of Antibiotics Ammonium Uptake Porphyra yezoensis samples used in this study were
Ammonium contents and uptake of seawater were
collected in Yeosu, Korea in February 2002. The thalli
measured by detection at 640 nm using spectrophotometer
were rinsed with seawater to remove sediment and
(Shimadzu, Japan) using colorimetric methods (Parsons
epiphytes. Before the experiment, the macroalgae were
pre-equilibrated in the laboratory 4 days in filteredseawater at 10°C in darkness and used for experiments. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
For treatments of antibiotics, we used six commercial
antibiotics (Samyang Anipharm Co., Ltd) containing
Effects of Antibioics Treatement on the Photochemical
different chemicals: erythromycin thiocyanate_A,
Efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm)
erythromycin thiocyanate_B, oxytetracycline hydrochloride,
We investigated the change of the chlorophyll a
doxyclclin hyclate, pefloxacin, amoxicillin trihydrate.
fluorescence to understand the effect of antibiotics on the
Erythromycin thiocyanate_A and erythromycin
photosynthetic activity of Porphyra yezoensis. When
thiocyanate_B are two different commercial products
antibiotics were treated with various concentration to
containing erythromycin thiocyanate. The antibiotics
filtered seawater, the photochemical efficiency of PSII
were dissolved in filtered seawater and the macroalgae
(Fv/Fm) showed the substantial differences in sensitivity
were grown in the seawater under the cool-white
to antibiotics as indicated by reduction of Fv/Fm (Fig. 1)
fluorescence lamps with an intensity of 10 µmol
and color change (data not shown). Thus, the effects of
photons · m–2 · s–1 at 15°C. The lowest concentration of the
the antibiotics for the photosynthetic activity of Porphyra
antibiotics treated was similar to that recommended by
sp. is divided into three groups (Fig. 1). (1) Type I:
the manufacturers, and several higher concentrations
pefloxacin and amoxicillin trihydrate; (2) Type II:
were treated to test its effect when it was treated
erythromycin thiocyanate_A and Erythromycin
excessively compared with the recommended
thiocyanate_B; (3) Type III: oxytetracycline
concentration or to test its effect when the antibiotics was
hydrochloride, and doxyclclin hyclate. The Type I
treated for longer period. The period of the treatment
antibiotics did not show the decrease of Fv/Fm value in
was chosen from several hours up to 2 days depending
all concentration points for 48 h treatment, but the Type
on its effect. During experiments, the growth media were
II and Type III show the dose- and time-dependant
decreases of Fv/Fm. In case of erythromycinthiocyanate_A treatment, Fv/Fm was small-ranged
Chlorophyll a Fluorescence and Quenching Analysis
between 0.5 and 0.6 at the concentration of 7.5 g/L for
Chlorophyll a fluorescence was measured using a
18h, and erythromycin thiocyanate_A could be observed
Oh et al.: Effects of Antibiotics on Porphyra yezoensis 123
Fig. 1. Changes in PSII photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) from thalli of Porphyra treated with various concentrations of several
antibiotics. (A) Type I antibiotics, (B) Type II antibiotics, (C) Type III antibiotics. The macroalgae were pre-equilibrated in the laboratory 4 days in filtered seawater at 10°C in darkness, and then tested in filtered seawater under the light at 10 µmol photons · m–2 · s–1 at 15°C during the subsequent experiment. Aeration was provided by bubbling with air pump. The subsequent recovery experiments were carried out in 75 uM nutrient (NH +
4 )-containing seawater for 2h (gray shading). Chlorophyll a
fluorescence was measured after 10 min dark adaptation at room temperature.
serially the decrease of Fv/Fm with the dose-dependant
decrease of dry weight (data not shown). From these
manner within 12h. In the oxytetracycline hydrochloride
results, we could observed some antibiotics down-
and doxyclclin hyclate as a Type III, rapid reduction of
regulates the photosynthetic activity in Pophyra sp.
Fv/Fm could be observed within 2h although low
Interestingly, it was notable that some antibiotics-treated
concentrated antibiotics were treated, and also showed a
Porphyra leaves showed the recovery pattern in terms of
chlorosis, differ to Type II, resulting the significant
increase of Fv/Fm when antibiotics-treated thalli were
oxytetracycline hydrochloride is reduced both NPQ andqP shown that depressed electron transport and wholephotosynthetic capacity. From chlorophyll a fluorescencequenching analysis, we could differentiate antibioticsinto 3 groups with different action mechanism inphotosynthetic apparatus, indicating the different targetor action site of antibiotics in the photosyntheticapparatus. The Effects of Antibiotics in Ammonium Uptake of Thalli
To understand interrelation between the degeneration
of photosynthetic apparatus and the ammonium uptakein Porphyra, we tested the changes of the concentration of
Fig. 2. Quencing analysis from thalli of Porphyra treated with
the soluble ammonium in seawater after transfer the
several antibiotics. The experimental conditions are the
antibiotic-treated samples to the 75 µM ammonium
same as in Fig. 1. The concentration of antibiotics weretreated during 32 h as followed: 20 g/L Amoxicillin
standard solution (Fig. 3). Ammonium uptake in the
trihydrate, 7.5 g/L Erythromycin thiocyanate_B, 5 g/L
Porphyra were showed biphasic pattern: (1) Surge
Pefloxacin, and 1.0 g/L Oxytetracycline hydrochloride.
uptake, initially high uptake rate with time; (2) Constant
Chlorophyll fluorescence was measured after 10 min dark
uptake, comparatively constant uptake at a fixed rate;
after surge uptake (Dy and Yap 2001). The decrease ofammonium uptake in the erythromycin thiocyanate_B
and oxytetracycline hydrochloride-treated Porphyra also
rinse with filter seawater and than were incubated for
was similar with decrease in Fv/Fm. Generally, the
ability of ammonium uptake in Porphyra wassignificantly decreased in antibiotics-treated leaves
Quenching Analysis of Chlorophyll a Fluorescence of
compared with control showing the dose-dependant
the Antibiotics-Treated Porphyra
manner. It has been demonstrated that concurrent
As shown in Fig. 2, in order to find the difference in
oscillations in chlorophyll a fluorescence and changes in
the effects among the antibiotics, the chlorophyll a
oxygen exchange after additions of N to N-stressed
fluorescence quenching analysis were conducted at
Dunaliella tertiolecta reflect tight coupling between
concentration and time with near 0.5 value of Fv/Fm
photosynthesis and N metabolism (Young and Beardall
after treatment of the antibiotics. NPQ is induced by
2003). The effect of the antibiotics on the decrease in the
changes in the transthylakoid pH-gradient, as well as by
ammonium uptake causally linked to its effect on
activation xanthophyll cycle; whereas qP changes when
decrease of Fv/Fm, suggesting the quantity of the
photochemical energy conversation by the charge
antibiotics treated often limits of aquaculture production.
separation in reaction centers of PSII lowers due tochanging linear electron transport rate to PSI through
Conclusions
cytochrome b6/f complex (Rohacek 2002). The effect of
In an attempt to avoid the creation of resistant bacteria
the antibiotics in Porphyra is divided into three groups
in a facility, some farms will rotate the antibiotics they
for pattern of NPQ and qP compared with control (Fig.
use every few months or every year. However, the best
2). (1) High NPQ and low qP; These pattern may be
solution is to positively identify the bacteria by running
results of the activated delta pH or xanthophyll cycle
culture and sensitivity tests, and thereby avoid
data in case of amoxicillin trihydrate and erythromycin
unnecessary, costly and potentially harmful treatments
thiocyanate_B, whereas suppress electron transport rate
in modern aquaculture. Our study revealed that misuse
and the amount of actual fraction of PSII reaction centers
of any antibiotic can lead to loss of the ammonium
that are in the open state. (2) High NPQ, high qP; Both
uptake through degradation of the photosynthetic
reaction, NPQ and qP, due to re-oxidation of the QA in
apparatus in Pophyra. Therefore, we assume that the
the case of pefloxacin. (3) Low NPQ, low qP;
proper management of the antibiotics is important to
Oh et al.: Effects of Antibiotics on Porphyra yezoensis 125
was also given to M.-H. Oh. We thank the entire SSIASgroup for a fruitful collaboration and Drs. J.A. Shin andT.H. Seo for their assistance in the field at Yeosu andfinally to the Marine Research Institute (ContributionNo. 32) in Pusan National University. REFERENCES
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
culture: towards a sustainable future. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 31: 159-166.
This work has been financed by the Ministry of Science
Young E.B. and Beardall J. 2003. Papid ammonium- and nitrate-
and Technology through the International Science &
induced pertubationsd to Chl a fluorescence in nitrogen-
Technology Cooperation Program (KISTEP: M6-0203-00-
streessed Dunaliella tertiolecta (Chlorophyta). J. Phycol. 39: 332-342.
0041) to I.K. Chung and by the Ministry of MarineAffairs and Fisheries through Korean Sea Grant Program
to C.-H. Lee. A financial support from the Korea Science
and Engineering Foundation (M02-2003-000-20089-0)
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