Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Artículo científico |
| Language: | en |
| Published: |
Marine environmental research
2026
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42119405/ |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
Table of Contents:
- Bacillus thuringiensis contamination as a biological hazard to embryogenesis of Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda in Malaysian tropical coasts. Ghaleb, Rasha Ahmed Moqbel Wei, Sim Sze Raj Kumar, Harris C Kadir, Nurul Huda Abdul Sheikh, Hassan I Meilana, Lusita Sidique, Siti Nordahliawate Mohamed Parimannan, Sivachandran Kumaran, Jayaraj Vijaya Nelson, Bryan Raveen Animals Bacillus thuringiensis Embryonic Development Horseshoe Crabs Malaysia Seashore Several marine arthropods rely on external fertilization and beach-based egg incubation. This includes Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda, a horseshoe crab species with embryogenesis of 40 days. During this period, C. rotundicauda eggs were exposed to thermal stress and fluctuating tidal conditions, potentially increasing vulnerability to biological contaminants. In this study, abnormal eggs, indicated with red embryonic envelop were sampled from a nesting site potentially impacted by perturbation through anthropogenic activities. Microbial analysis was conducted to investigate biological contamination as an ecotoxicological stressor. Bacterial isolates were obtained from symptomatic eggs and characterized using Gram staining, 16 S-rRNA sequencing, virulence gene profiling, and biochemical assays. All isolates were identified as Bacillus thuringiensis, a known bioinsecticide with documented use in terrestrial agriculture and potential marine dispersal. Phenotypic assays confirmed the production of protease, gelatinase, and lipase which were factors associated with pathogenicity. Mechanistically, Bacillus thuringiensis infection was found to compromise embryonic development by depleting yolk-derived lipid and protein reserves, especially during the first 15 post-fertilization days. This early-stage infection delayed or arrested embryogenesis, likely due to metabolic competition and enzyme-mediated degradation of essential nutrients. The findings suggest a novel biological hazard to early life stages of C. rotundicauda and demonstrate a mechanistic link between microbial contamination and developmental failure in a species with a prolonged incubation window. This study provides new evidence of environmental hazard from virulent B. thuringiensis contamination, potentially introduced or enriched by anthropogenic activities. It underscores the need to evaluate microbial contaminants as ecotoxicological agents in coastal ecosystems, especially under climate- and pollution-driven stress scenarios.