Abstract
BackgroundThe kinetoplastid parasite, Azumiobodo hoyamushi, is the causative agent of soft tunic syndrome (STS) in ascidians and leads to their mass mortality in Korean waters. This study was conducted to quantify A. hoyamushi density during the development of STS in the tunics of ascidians (Halocynthia roretzi) using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).FindingsThe infection intensity of A. hoyamushi, as measured by qPCR, varied depending on the part of the tunic analyzed, as well as the stage of STS development. The highest infection intensity was recorded in the tunics of the siphons. The infection intensity of A. hoyamushi in the siphons was only 2.9 cell/tunic (area, 0.25 cm2) or 106.0 cell/gram tunic (GT) in the early phase of STS, but this value increased dramatically to 16,066 cells/tunic (0.25 cm2) or 617,004 cell/GT at the time of death. The number of A. hoyamushi parasites increased gradually and their distribution spread from the siphons to the other parts of the tunics.ConclusionsqPCR enabled the quantitation of A. hoyamushi and the results revealed that parasite density increased as STS progressed. In addition, our results suggested that the siphons might function as the portal of entry for A. hoyamushi during infection.
Highlights
The kinetoplastid parasite, Azumiobodo hoyamushi, is the causative agent of soft tunic syndrome (STS) in ascidians and leads to their mass mortality in Korean waters
Conclusions: qPCR enabled the quantitation of A. hoyamushi and the results revealed that parasite density increased as STS progressed
Our results suggested that the siphons might function as the portal of entry for A. hoyamushi during infection
Summary
The kinetoplastid parasite, Azumiobodo hoyamushi, is the causative agent of soft tunic syndrome (STS) in ascidians and leads to their mass mortality in Korean waters. Conclusions: qPCR enabled the quantitation of A. hoyamushi and the results revealed that parasite density increased as STS progressed. Over the past 20 years, soft tunic syndrome (STS) has been plaguing the Gyeongnam Province area on the southern coast of Korea, which has most of the country’s ascidian farms, causing mass mortality of the ascidians.
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