Screening for Pseudo-nitzschia along the Grand Strand
Presentation Type
Event
Full Name of Faculty Mentor
Megan Cevasco
Major
Biology
Presentation Abstract
The widespread diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia is a human health concern as many species within the genus produce the neurotoxin domoic acid. When populations of Pseudo-nitzschia are present, the domoic acid they produce can accumulate in the tissue of filter feeding organisms (e.g. crustaceans and shellfish) and the concentrated neurotoxin is passed on to consumers of these filter feeders. Multiple species of Pseudo-nitzschia were identified using DNA sequence data recovered from the waters of oyster harvest areas in Huntington Beach State Park, SC in the summer of 2018. Based on these data, additional water samples were collected from Grand Strand locations representing varied levels of human impact. The presence of Pseudo-nitzschia in collected waters was determined using both culture and molecular (PCR) techniques.
Course
Bio 399
Location
Lib Jackson Student Union, Atrium
Start Date
17-4-2019 4:30 PM
End Date
17-4-2019 6:30 PM
Disciplines
Biology
Recommended Citation
Wise, Ivy, "Screening for Pseudo-nitzschia along the Grand Strand" (2019). Undergraduate Research Competition. 53.
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/ugrc/2019/poster/53
Screening for Pseudo-nitzschia along the Grand Strand
Lib Jackson Student Union, Atrium
The widespread diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia is a human health concern as many species within the genus produce the neurotoxin domoic acid. When populations of Pseudo-nitzschia are present, the domoic acid they produce can accumulate in the tissue of filter feeding organisms (e.g. crustaceans and shellfish) and the concentrated neurotoxin is passed on to consumers of these filter feeders. Multiple species of Pseudo-nitzschia were identified using DNA sequence data recovered from the waters of oyster harvest areas in Huntington Beach State Park, SC in the summer of 2018. Based on these data, additional water samples were collected from Grand Strand locations representing varied levels of human impact. The presence of Pseudo-nitzschia in collected waters was determined using both culture and molecular (PCR) techniques.