Rafael Salas

Rafael Salas


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

18Years (2009-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 October 2012 in Toxicon
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
BKBernd Krock
Bernd Krock
UTUrban Tillmann
Urban Tillmann
DVDaniela Voß
Daniela Voß
BKBoris Peter Koch
Boris Peter Koch
RSRafael Salas
Rafael Salas
HJHae Jin Jeong
Hae Jin Jeong

1 September 2012 in Protist
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
UTUrban Tillmann
Urban Tillmann
RSRafael Salas
Rafael Salas
MGMarc Gottschling
Marc Gottschling
BKBernd Krock
Bernd Krock
DODaniel O'DRiscoll
Daniel O'DRiscoll
MEMalte Elbrächter
Malte Elbrächter

1 September 2011 in Harmful Algae
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
RSRafael Salas
Rafael Salas
UTUrban Tillmann
Urban Tillmann
UJUwe John
Uwe John
JKJane Kilcoyne
Jane Kilcoyne
ABAmanda Burson
Amanda Burson
JSJoe Silke
Joe Silke

31 March 2012 in Journal of Phycology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
PDF file
ENElisabeth Nézan
Elisabeth Nézan
UTUrban Tillmann
Urban Tillmann
GBGwenae¨ L Bilien
Gwenae¨ L Bilien
SBSylviane Boulben
Sylviane Boulben
KCKarine Chèze
Karine Chèze
NCNicolas Chomérat
Nicolas Chomérat

1 March 2016 in Harmful Algae
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
CCCaroline Cusack
Caroline Cusack
TDTomasz Dabrowski
Tomasz Dabrowski
KLKieran Lyons
Kieran Lyons
ABAlan Alan Berry
Alan Alan Berry
GWGuy Westbrook
Guy Westbrook
JSJoe Silke
Joe Silke

8 January 2021 in Microorganisms
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
UTUrban Tillmann
Urban Tillmann
SWStephan Wietkamp
Stephan Wietkamp
Haifeng GuHaifeng Gu
Haifeng Gu
BKBernd Krock
Bernd Krock
RSRafael Salas
Rafael Salas
DCDave Clarke
Dave Clarke
Azaspiracids (AZA) are a group of lipophilic toxins, which are produced by a few species of the marine nanoplanktonic dinoflagellates Azadinium and Amphidoma (Amphidomataceae). A survey was conducted in 2018 to increase knowledge on the diversity and distribution of amphidomatacean species and their toxins in Irish and North Sea waters (North Atlantic). We here present a detailed morphological, phylogenetic, and toxinological characterization of 82 new strains representing the potential AZA producers Azadinium spinosum and Amphidoma languida. A total of ten new strains of Am. languida were obtained from the North Sea, and all conformed in terms of morphology and toxin profile (AZA-38 and-39) with previous records from the area. Within 72 strains assigned to Az. spinosum there were strains of two distinct ribotypes (A and B) which consistently differed in their toxin profile (dominated by AZA-1 and -2 in ribotype A, and by AZA-11 and -51 in ribotype B strains). Five strains conformed in morphology with Az. spinosum, but no AZA could be detected in these strains. Moreover, they revealed significant nucleotide differences compared to known Az. spinosum sequences and clustered apart from all other Az. spinosum strains within the phylogenetic tree, and therefore were provisionally designated as Az. cf. spinosum. These Az. cf. spinosum strains without detectable AZA were shown not to cause amplification in the species-specific qPCR assay developed to detect and quantify Az. spinosum. As shown here for the first time, AZA profiles differed between strains of Az. spinosum ribotype A in the presence/absence of AZA-1, AZA-2, and/or AZA-33, with the majority of strains having all three AZA congeners, and others having only AZA-1, AZA-1 and AZA-2, or AZA-1 and AZA-33. In contrast, no AZA profile variability was observed in ribotype B strains. Multiple AZA analyses of a period of up to 18 months showed that toxin profiles (including absence of AZA for Az. cf. spinosum strains) were consistent and stable over time. Total AZA cell quotas were highly variable both among and within strains, with quotas ranging from 0.1 to 63 fg AZA cell−1. Cell quota variability of single AZA compounds for Az. spinosum strains could be as high as 330-fold, but the underlying causes for the extraordinary large variability of AZA cell quota is poorly understood.