Phylogeny and Toxin Profile of Freshwater Pufferfish (Genus <i>Pao</i>) Collected from 2 Different Regions in Cambodia

oleh: Hongchen Zhu, Akinori Yamada, Yui Goto, Linan Horn, Laymithuna Ngy, Minoru Wada, Hiroyuki Doi, Jong Soo Lee, Tomohiro Takatani, Osamu Arakawa

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2020-10-01

Deskripsi

The species classification of Cambodian freshwater pufferfish is incomplete and confusing, and scientific information on their toxicity and toxin profile is limited. In the present study, to accumulate information on the phylogeny and toxin profile of freshwater pufferfish, and to contribute to food safety in Cambodia, we conducted simultaneous genetic-based phylogenetic and toxin analyses using freshwater pufferfish individuals collected from Phnom Penh and Kratie (designated PNH and KTI, respectively). Phylogenetic analysis of partial sequences of three mitochondrial genes (cytochrome <i>b</i>, 16S rRNA, and cytochrome <i>c</i> oxidase subunit I) determined for each fish revealed that PNH and KTI are different species in the genus <i>Pao</i> (designated <i>Pao</i> sp. A and <i>Pao</i> sp. B, respectively). A partial sequence of the nuclear tributyltin-binding protein type 2 (TBT-bp2) gene differentiated the species at the amino acid level. Instrumental analysis of the toxin profile revealed that both <i>Pao</i> sp. A and <i>Pao</i> sp. B possess saxitoxins (STXs), comprising STX as the main component. In <i>Pao</i> sp. A, the toxin concentration in each tissue was extremely high, far exceeding the regulatory limit for STXs set by the Codex Committee, whereas in <i>Pao</i> sp. B, only the skin contained high toxin concentrations. The difference in the STX accumulation ability between the two species with different TBT-bp2 sequences suggests that TBT-bp2 is involved in STX accumulation in freshwater pufferfish.