2015 Damien Réveillon
Phycotoxin Laboratory, Ifremer
Damien Réveillon, Phycotoxin Laboratory, Ifremer, has defended his thesis entitled "BMAA et cyanotoxines : microalgues productrices et niveaux d’accumulation dans les organismes marins" at the Ecole Centrale of Nantes on Tuesday, October 27 2015.
Abstract
BMAA (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine) is a non proteinogenic neurotoxic amino acid that has been associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Its analytical detection is widely debated thus the global production of BMAA by cyanobacteria is questioned. We first aimed at developing an analytical method allowing for highly selective identification of BMAA and isomers, using HILIC chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Then, we have cultivated and analyzed more than 50 microalgae (e.g. cyanobacteria, diatoms). Unlike DAB, one of its natural isomer, BMAA was only reported in five diatom species and cannot be accounted as a cyanotoxin anymore. In parallel, we have evaluated the presence of BMAA on the three French coasts. The presence of BMAA in different compartments of the Thau lagoon food web (i.e. plankton, biofilm and mussel) led us to hypothesize a bioaccumulation pathway with diatom as a source of BMAA. Moreover, BMAA and DAB were both detected in all mollusk samples collected once a month in 2013 from 10 French shellfish production areas. While they were continuously detected, the bioaccumulation mechanism of these amino acids is unknown. Therefore, we tried to contaminate blue mussels in controlled conditions with a BMAA-producing diatom. Results of this first attempt may suggest a link between the accumulation of BMAA in mussel and their consumption of the diatom strain. Finally, the multi-cyanotoxins analytical procedure that we developed allowed us to detect cylindrospermopsin in biofilms collected from mussels of Thau lagoon, calling for extended research efforts on cyanotoxins-derived issue in the marine environment.
Key Words
BMAA, DAB, cyanotoxins, LC-MS/MS, diatoms, cyanobacteria, bivalves
Curriculum Vitae
Download Damien's CV here.
