Degradation of outer membrane proteins of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synechococcus</Emphasis> sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis>

To examine the possibility that outer membrane proteins (OMP) of Synechococcus sp. remain in seawater, we investigated the stability of OMPs in vitro and in situ. Some fractions prepared from Synechococcus sp. CSIRO-94 were treated with trypsin and proteinase K. Four tightly bound OMPs were separated from Synechococcus. We designated the two major OMPs of 52 kDa and 48 kDa as Omp52Sy and Omp48Sy, respectively. Degradation of the OMP in natural seawater was monitored in microcosms to which intact Synechococcus cells and outer membrane (OM) were added. Omp52Sy and Omp48Sy were the most stable against trypsin and proteinase K among the OMPs when they were embedded in the OM. However, in the microcosm experiment using intact cells, Omp52Sy and Omp48Sy were detected in the particulate fraction only during the first 4 days, after which they could not longer be detected. Omp52Sy and Omp48Sy were the most stable proteins among the Synechococcus OMPs in vitro, but they might be degraded in situ. This indicates that stability of Synechococcus porin differs depending on complex formation with other membrane molecules, which might cause different preservation of microbial membrane proteins in the dissolved protein pool in the ocean. This study suggests that Gram negative bacterial OM with thin peptidoglycan forms a lipid bilayer that proptects OMP, but Synechococcus OM with thick peptidoglycan cannot form a lipid bilayer. The incomplete bilayer might not be able to protect from protease attack in the natural environment.     

Similarity of electrophoretic dissolved protein spectra from coastal to pelagic seawaters

Dissolved proteins in seawater samples collected from a coastal area of Tokyo Bay, Sagami Bay and a location off the Kuroshio Current were investigated by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and high resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE). Four to nine protein bands were detected in SDS-PAGE in the apparent molecular weight (MW) range from 12 kilo Dalton (kDa) to 49 kDa. The 2-DE technique distinguished 10 to 46 protein spots exhibiting isoelectric point (pI)/MW ranging 4.3–9.2/12–63 kDa. The elecrophoretic patterns were similar between the coastal and pelagic samples, as well as previously reported patterns from various pelagic areas. The close similarity of electrophoretic mobility on both SDS-PAGE and 2-DE gels indicates the compositional homogeneity of dissolved proteins in seawater throughout a broad range of marine environments. Proteinaceous dissolved organic matter (DOM) that was unresolved and smeared staining characteristics on both SDS-PAGE and 2-DE gels was first observed in Tokyo Bay waters in the present study and its possible sources are discussed. Although the two protein species, 48 kDa and 39 kDa proteins, have been identified as homologues of Porin P and low molecular weight-alkaline phosphatase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, respectively, four strains of P. aeruginosa and two species of Pseudomonas spp. have been newly identified as the source organisms of these proteins using the N-terminal amino acid sequence data determined in previous studies.     

南、北极近岸海水中好氧不产氧光合基因pufM的多样性

好氧不产氧光合(AAP)细菌因其具有利用溶解性有机物及光能的能力,在海洋碳循环及能量流动中发挥着重要的作用。该类细菌广泛分布在海洋环境中,其在不同生境中的多样性已被调查。但到目前为止,人们对于高纬度地区好氧不产氧光合细菌的认识还较为缺乏。有鉴于此,本研究基于编码光反应复合物上一个色素结合蛋白亚基的pufM基因,对北极王湾及南极乔治王岛近岸水体中夏季好氧不产氧光合细菌的多样性进行了检测。针对2个王湾站位和2个南极麦克斯维尔湾站位构建了4个pufM基因克隆文库,获得674个阳性克隆子。北极克隆子全部由α-变形细菌组成,而南极克隆子则包括α-变形细菌及β-变形细菌。来源于类似红细菌科的pufM基因在所有样品中皆占据优势。此外,与一株滴状亚硫酸盐杆菌中质粒编码的pufM基因存在亲缘关系的序列,在南、北极样品中均占优势。结果表明海洋环境中的pufM基因存在跨极甚至是环球分布。与此同时,南、北极序列之间的差异,也表明了极地地方种的存在。这些结果显示,作为好氧不产氧光合细菌的红细菌科在两极的近岸水体中具有重要的地位。     

南、北极海洋不同种类细菌分离株中DMSP-依赖型脱甲基酶基因dmdA的系统发育多样性

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate(DMSP) is mainly produced by marine phytoplankton as an osmolyte, antioxidant,predator deterrent, or cryoprotectant. DMSP is also an important carbon and sulfur source for marine bacteria.Bacteria may metabolize DMSP via the demethylation pathway involving the DMSP demethylase gene(dmdA) or the cleavage pathway involving several different DMSP lyase genes. Most DMSP released into seawater is degraded by bacteria via demethylation. To test a hypothesis that the high gene frequency of dmdA among major marine taxa results in part from horizontal gene transfer(HGT) events, a total of thirty-one bacterial strains were isolated from Arctic Kongsfjorden seawater in this study. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that,except for strains BSw22118, BSw22131 and BSw22132 belonging to the genera Colwellia, Pseudomonas and Glaciecola, respectively, all bacteria fell into the genus Pseudoalteromonas. DmdA genes were detected in five distantly related bacterial strains, including four Arctic strains(Pseudoalteromonas sp. BSw22112, Colwellia sp.BSw22118, Pseudomonas sp. BSw22131 and Glaciecola sp. BSw22132) and one Antarctic strain(Roseicitreum antarcticum ZS2–28). Their dmdA genes showed significant similarities(97.7%–98.3%) to that of Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS–3, which was originally isolated from temperate coastal seawater. In addition, the sequence of the gene transfer agent(GTA) capsid protein gene(g5) detected in Antarctic strain ZS2–28 exhibited a genetically closely related to that of Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS–3. Among the five tested strains, only Pseudomonas sp. BSw22131 could grow using DMSP as the sole carbon source. The results of this study support the hypothesis of HGT for dmdA among taxonomically heterogeneous bacterioplankton, and suggest a wide distribution of functional gene(i.e., dmdA) in global marine environments.     

4 种病原弧菌外膜蛋白的提取及抗原性初步分析

利用十二烷基磺酸钠抽提并结合超速离心的方法提取了鳗弧菌(Vibrio anguillarum)、河口弧菌(V.aestuarianus)、霍乱弧菌(V.cholerae)和副溶血弧菌(V.parahaemolyticus)4种致病性弧菌的主要外膜蛋白,通过SDS-PAGE分析比较4种弧菌主要外膜蛋白的组分。结果表明:4株弧菌的外膜蛋白电泳图谱一般可得到5～10条蛋白带,分子量多数集中在26~40 kD和48~85 kD。对所提取的4种弧菌主要外膜蛋白进行SDS-PAGE后,分别与自制的兔抗鳗弧菌血清、抗河口弧菌血清、抗副溶血弧菌血清进行Western-blotting印迹分析。结果显示每种全菌抗血清可与相应菌的外膜蛋白部分组分发生免疫反应,并与其他3种弧菌外膜蛋白的部分组分产生交叉免疫反应,这些反应条带分子量主要集中于30~48 kD之间。本研究为进一步研究致病性弧菌外膜蛋白免疫学特性提供参考。     

A study of crude oil‐degrading bacteria from mangrove forests in the Persian Gulf

Mangroves are coastal ecosystems, found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. They are found in the transitional zones between land, sea, and rivers. Petroleum hydrocarbons are the most common environmental pollutants, and oil spills pose a great hazard to mangroves forests. This research was focused on the isolation and characterization of crude oil‐degrading bacteria from mangrove ecosystems at the Persian Gulf. Sixty‐one crude oil‐degrading bacteria were isolated from mangrove samples (plant, sediment, and seawater) that enriched in ONR7a medium with crude oil as only carbon source. Some screening tests such as growth at high concentration of crude oil, bioemulsifier production, and surface hydrophobicity were done to select the most efficient strains for crude oil degradation. Molecular identification of strains was carried out by amplification of the 16S rRNA gene by PCR. The results of this study were indicated that the quantity of crude oil‐degrading bacteria was higher in the root of mangrove plants compare to other mangrove samples (sediment and seawater). Also, identification results confirmed that these isolated strains belong to Vibrio sp. strain NW4, Idiomarina sp. strain BW32, Kangiella sp. strain DP40, Marinobacter sp. strain DW44, Halomonas sp. strain BS53, and Vibrio sp. strain DS35. The application of bioremediation strategies with these bacteria can reduce crude oil pollution in this important marine environment.     

Trophic efficiency of the planktonic food web in a coastal ecosystem dominated by Phaeocystis colonies

The trophic efficiency of the planktonic food web in the Phaeocystis-dominated ecosystem of the Belgian coastal waters was inferred from the analysis of the carbon flow network of the planktonic system subdivided into its different trophodynamic groups. A carbon budget was constructed on the basis of process-level field experiments conducted during the spring bloom period of 1998. Biomass and major metabolic activities of auto- and heterotrophic planktonic communities (primary production, bacterial production, nanoproto-, micro- and mesozooplankton feeding activities) were determined in nine field assemblages collected during spring at reference station 330. In 1998, the phytoplankton spring flowering was characterised by a moderate diatom bloom followed by a massive Phaeocystis colony bloom. Phaeocystis colonies, contributing 70% to the net primary production, escaped the linear food chain while the early spring diatom production supplied 74% of the mesozooplankton carbon uptake. The rest of mesozooplankton food requirement was, at the time of the Phaeocystis colony bloom, partially fulfilled by microzooplankton. Only one-third of the microzooplankton production, however, was controlled by mesozooplankton grazing pressure. Ungrazed Phaeocystis colonies were stimulating the establishment of a very active microbial network. On the one hand, the release of free-living cells from ungrazed colonies has been shown to stimulate the growth of microzooplankton, which was controlling 97% of the nanophytoplankton production. On the other hand, the disruption of ungrazed Phaeocystis colonies supplied the water column with large amounts of dissolved organic matter available for planktonic bacteria. The budget calculation suggests that ungrazed colonies contributed up to 60% to the bacterial carbon demand, while alternative sources (exudation, zooplankton egestion and lysis of other organisms) provided some 30% of bacterial carbon requirements. This suggests that the spring carbon demand of planktonic bacteria was satisfied largely by autogenic production. The trophic efficiency was defined as the ratio between mesozooplankton grazing on a given source and food production. In spite of its major contribution to mesozooplankton feeding, the trophic efficiency of the linear food chain, restricted to the grazing on diatoms, represented only 5.6% of the available net primary production. The trophic efficiency of the microbial food chain, the ratio between mesozooplankton grazing on microzooplankton and the resource inflow (the bacterial carbon demand plus the nanophytoplankton production) amounted to only 1.6%. These low trophic efficiencies together with the potential contribution of ungrazed Phaeocystis-derived production to the bacterial carbon demand suggest that during spring 1998 most of the Phaeocystis-derived production in the Belgian coastal area was remineralised in the water column.     

浒苔绿潮暴发期间海水溶解有机碳的生物可利用性及其碳汇作用

自2007年以来,浒苔绿潮已经连续15年在南黄海暴发。浒苔(Ulva prolifera)作为主要肇事藻种,在暴发过程中向海水释放大量的溶解有机碳(DOC)。然而,这些藻源DOC能否长期保存在海洋中,主要取决于它们的生物可利用性,目前关于此方面的研究甚少。本研究在浒苔绿潮大规模暴发时期(2019年6月),分别在浒苔暴发海区和无浒苔海区各选择3个站位富集表层海水,在实验室进行长期(300 d)的DOC降解实验。结果发现,在60 d内,不同站位富集海水中的DOC浓度随着微生物的利用快速下降,微生物丰度也在第60天达到峰值,表明这些被消耗的DOC是生物可利用性高的活性DOC(LDOC)。60 d后,剩余的DOC可抵抗微生物的降解,在60～300 d内保持稳定,表明这些DOC是具有强稳定性的惰性DOC(RDOC)。最终发现,浒苔暴发海水的RDOC占富集DOC的46%,明显高于无浒苔海水的(36%)。并且,荧光溶解有机物(FDOM)中活性的类蛋白组分随着微生物的利用被快速消耗,惰性的类腐殖质组分逐渐积累,暗示了在降解过程中LDOC逐渐向RDOC转化。可见,浒苔绿潮暴发除了在短时间内增加海水中的D...     

东海原甲藻抗体的制备及酶联免疫检测方法的建立

通过制备针对东海原甲藻细胞破碎物的多克隆和单克隆抗体,建立了基于双抗体酶联免疫分析定量检测东海原甲藻(Prorocentrum donghaiense)的检测方法。利用该方法对单一藻种、混合藻种和现场样品中的东海原甲藻进行检测的结果与镜检结果相一致,最低检测限度为1×103 cells/m L。该方法的建立对中国近海赤潮暴发的实时监控具有重要意义。     

海洋酸化对青蛤免疫指标的影响

通过向水体中通入CO_2的方法模拟海洋酸化环境,测定青蛤(Cyclina sinensis)在酸化条件下各免疫指标的变化情况。结果显示:将青蛤置于酸化的海中(pH分别为7.4和7.7),并以自然海水做对照组(pH 8.1)后,血细胞总数随海水酸化胁迫时间的延长,表现为下降趋势,且差异显著(P0.05);海水pH降低抑制了溶菌酶的活性,但差异性不显著(P0.05);ACP活性总体呈下降趋势,对照组活性要高于酸化组,而ALP活性表现为上升趋势。酸化胁迫初期诱导SOD活性升高,后期SOD活性受到抑制,而CAT变化却截然相反;脂质过氧化产物MDA在酸化后期出现显著降低(P0.05)。     

16S与gyrB基因联合建树快速鉴定海水中的一株地衣芽胞杆菌

在保守序列高度相似的细菌鉴定中,单独使用16S rDNA/RNA序列进行比对和构建进化树通常无法准确鉴定到种,需要增加测序基因数并对多基因进行分析。为实现快速鉴定,课题组对16S与gyrB基因联合建树的方法进行了研究,将海洋来源的一株杆菌,分别用通用引物扩增16S和gyrB基因并测序,在GeneBank进行序列比对后,选择各菌种保藏中心16S和gyrB基因均相似的菌株,取16S和gyrB基因序列,采用Paup*4.0构建进化树。使用16S与gyrB拼接序列构建的进化树中属于同一种的菌株均很好的聚合在一枝,种间分枝自展值均高于98,分类结构准确,筛选得到的杆菌与地衣芽胞杆菌(Bacilluslicheniformis)聚合在一枝,自展值为100,鉴定为地衣芽胞杆菌。经生理生化试验验证,该菌株与地衣芽胞杆菌特征完全一致,使用16S和gyrB基因联合建树得到的鉴定结果准确且快速简便。     

Molecular identification of bloom-forming species Phaeocystis globosa (Pryninesiophyta) and its dispersal based on rDNA ITS sequence analysis

The colony-forming Phaeocystis species are causative agents of dense bloom occurrences in coastal waters worldwide. It is difficult to separate them because of the different morphologies associated with their colonial stages. In this study we applied molecular approaches to analyze the genetic variation of Phaeocystis globosa and Phaeocystis pouchetii from several geographic regions, and to assist in tracing the dispersal of bloom-forming Phaeocystis species in coastal waters of China. The sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) of rDNA and the 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene of Phaeocystis strains were determined. Sequence comparison shows that P.globosa was the most divergent to P. pouchetii, exhibiting sequence divergence higher than 0.08. However, lower genetic divergences existed between strains of P.globosa. The sequence comparison of the Phaeocystis rDNA ITS clearly shows that the species isolated from the southeast coast of China is identified as P.globosa rather than P. cf. pouchetii or other species. Furthermore, the significance of rDNA variation in distinct global populations of P.globosa suggested it might have had sufficient time to accumulate detectable mutations at the rDNA locus, supporting the hypothesis of ancient dispersal of P.globosa to many areas, meaning that P.globosa blooms in the coastal waters of China are endemic rather than a newly introduced species or a foreign source. Finally, based on the high divergent region of rDNA ITS, a pair of species-specific primers for P.globosa were designed, they could be useful to detect the presence of this species in mixed plankton assemblages or flagellate stages that are recognized with diffculties by means of conventional microscopy.     

Influence of m-cresol purple indicator additions on the pH of seawater samples: correction factors evaluated from a chemical speciation model

The perturbation of the indicator m-cresol purple on the pH in seawater is illustrated in diagrams, representing measurements in 1-cm and 5-cm cells. The diagrams apply to a measured pH interval of 7.4–8.4 using a 2-mM stock solution of m-cresol purple sodium salt dissolved in seawater. The magnitude of the perturbation is described as correction values, i.e., the change in seawater pH caused by the indicator. The diagrams are based on calculations made by using the equilibrium speciation programme, MARINHALT. From these calculations, and least squares fitting methods, pH correction values are described in terms of the pH difference between each seawater sample and the pH of an indicator stock solution. Calculations are performed for a typical high latitude water and a north Pacific deep water. Diagrams are presented for a salinity of 35 and a temperature of 15°C. Responses to salinities between 32 and 36 and temperatures 15–25°C are illustrated as well. A ±0.05 pH difference between a seawater sample and an indicator stock solution gives a correction of less than 0.001 pH unit for a 1-cm cell. For a 5-cm cell, pH differences between the indicator stock solution and a seawater sample as large as ±0.3 cause corrections smaller than ±0.001 pH unit. Calculations demonstrate that the five-fold lower indicator concentration used with 5-cm cells decreases the perturbation effect by approximately a factor of five relative to 1-cm cells.     

Marine proteomics: generation of sequence tags for dissolved proteins in seawater using tandem mass spectrometry

Dissolved proteins in seawater samples from the Gulf of Mexico were concentrated using tangential flow ultrafiltration and methanol/chloroform/water precipitation. Following concentration and purification, two different separation methods were employed. In one method, intact proteins were separated by SDS–PAGE and digested enzymatically in-gel. In the second method, the peptides resulting from a solution proteolytic digest of the whole protein pellet mixture were separated by capillary HPLC. In both methods, the final chromatographic separation was coupled on-line with a mass spectrometer using an electrospray interface, and peptide CID spectra were collected using tandem mass spectrometry (MS). De novo sequencing of the peptide tandem mass spectra generated short amino acid sequences (peptide tags) that were used to search databases for protein class and source information. Trends of conserved sequences for two specific classes of proteins were observed: membrane/envelope proteins and enzymes. Similarity searching of peptide tags produced identification of conserved sequences from several protein homologues originating from many different species, including: long chain fatty acyl CoA synthetase, anthranilate synthase, ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase, and luminal binding protein. These results provide new insight into the sources and production mechanisms for dissolved organic matter (DOM), as there is direct evidence for dissolved proteins other than the bacterial outer membrane proteins reported by Tanoue et al. Furthermore, the data presented herein support the idea that physical protection and selective preservation are not mutually exclusive survival mechanisms, but rather these two models are dependent upon one another for explaining the survival of refractory dissolved proteins in seawater.     

繁茂膜海绵清除大肠杆菌的过程

通过分析海绵清除大肠杆菌的过程,研究海绵净化细菌的机理。作者利用荧光显微镜和激光共聚焦显微镜观测等手段,监测和分析了绿色荧光大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)在繁茂膜海绵(Hymeniacidon perlevis)体内、体外水环境中数量变化过程。在1 L含有3×107个/m L绿色荧光大肠杆菌的海水中放入鲜重(1.02±0.11)g的繁茂膜海绵24块,处理7 h,海水中的荧光大肠杆菌数量逐渐降低;而海绵体内荧光大肠杆菌数量在2 h时内逐渐增多,之后的2 h趋于稳定,4 h以后开始逐渐减少。水体中大肠杆菌不仅进入海绵体内,而且进入海绵细胞内。含有荧光大肠杆菌的海绵块转入无菌海水中后,海绵体内及细胞中大肠杆菌逐渐消失,而且大肠杆菌没有被释放到环境海水中。分析表明,繁茂膜海绵能够以摄食的方式净化水环境中的大肠杆菌。     

考洲洋牡蛎养殖海域海-气界面CO2交换通量的时空变化

根据2018年7月、11月和2019年1月、4月对广东考洲洋牡蛎养殖海域进行4个季节调查获得的p H、溶解无机碳(DIC)、水温、盐度、溶解氧(DO)及叶绿素a(Chla)等数据,估算该区域表层海水溶解无机碳体系各分量的浓度、初级生产力(PP)、表层海水CO₂分压[p(CO₂)]和海-气界面CO₂交换通量(FCO₂),分析牡蛎养殖活动对养殖区碳循环的影响。结果表明:牡蛎养殖区表层海水中Chl a、DIC、HCO₃^–和PP显著低于非养殖区;养殖淡季表层海水中pH、DO、DIC、HCO₃^–、和CO₃^2–显著大于养殖旺季,养殖旺季的p(CO₂)和FCO₂显著大于养殖淡季。牡蛎养殖区表层海水夏季、秋季、冬季和春季的海-气界面CO₂交换通量FCO₂平均值分别是(42.04±9.56)、(276...     

褐点石斑鱼脱鳞病病原菌的分离与鉴定

从海南陵水新村港网箱养殖脱鳞病濒死褐点石斑鱼(Epinephelus fuscoguttatus)体内分离到3 株优势菌株XC08061、XC08062 和XC08063, 经回归感染试验确定为致病菌。这3 株细菌经生化鉴定以及16S rDNA 测序分析, 确定均为哈氏弧菌(Vibrio harveyi)。其中, XC08061 对体长为12～14 cm 褐点石斑鱼的半致死剂量为5.8×10² CFU/g 鱼体质量。药敏试验表明, 该菌具有较强的耐药性, 在所检测的25种抗菌药物中, 仅对新生霉素、头孢噻肟、先锋必/舒巴坦、诺氟沙星、依诺沙星和庆大霉素6 种抗菌药物敏感。     

四株鳖源致病性嗜水气单胞菌(Aeromonas hydrophila)的表型、分子鉴定及其毒力基因检测

采用生态毒理学、表观分类学及分子生物学方法,对具白底板病典型症状濒死中华鳖内脏中分离获得的4株病原菌开展了以致病性、表型分析、分子鉴定及毒力基因检测为内容的实验研究,结果表明:(1)4株病原菌均具致病性,致死力由大到小依次为ZHYYZ-2、ZHYYZ-4、ZHYYZ-1、ZHYYZ-3;(2)4株病原菌均为呈短杆状、具溶血活性的革兰氏阴性细菌,VITEK2型全自动细菌鉴定与药敏系统和ATBExpression型细菌鉴定与药敏智能系统均显示为嗜水气单胞菌;(3)ZHYYZ-1、ZHYYZ-2、ZHYYZ-3、ZHYYZ-4的16SrDNA序列长度分别为1460、1464、1466、1461,经Blast同源性检索表明它们所扩增的16SrDNA序列与GenBank数据库中登记的71株嗜水气单胞菌的相似性均为99%;(4)经PCR特异性检测,各实验菌均含有Aha、AHH、AerA和OMP。根据4株实验菌的表型和分子生物学特征,判定它们均为气单胞菌属的致病性嗜水气单胞菌。     

Modelling growth and reproduction of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas: Advances in the oyster-DEB model through application to a coastal pond

A bio-energetic model, based on the DEB theory exists for the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Pouvreau et al. [Pouvreau, S., Bourles, Y., Lefebvre, S., Gangnery, A., Alunno-Bruscia, M., 2006. Application of a dynamic energy budget model to the Pacific oyster, C. gigas, reared under various environmental conditions. J. Sea Res. 56, 156–167.] successfully applied this model to oysters reared in three environments with no tide and low turbidity, using chlorophyll a concentration as food quantifier. However, the robustness of the oyster-DEB model needs to be validated in varying environments where different food quantifiers reflect the food available for oysters, as is the case in estuaries and most coastal ecosystems. We therefore tested the oyster-DEB model on C. gigas reared in an Atlantic coastal pond from January 2006 to January 2007. The model relies on two forcing variables: seawater temperature and food density monitored through various food quantifiers. Based on the high temperature range measured in this oyster pond (3–30 °C), new boundary values of the temperature tolerance range were estimated both for ingestion and respiration rates. Several food quantifiers were then tested to select the most suitable for explaining the observed growth and reproduction of C. gigas reared in an oyster pond. These were: particulate organic matter and carbon, chlorophyll a concentration and phytoplankton enumeration (expressed in cell number per litre or in cumulative cell biovolume). We conclude that when phytoplankton enumeration was used as food quantifier, the new version of oyster-DEB model presented here reproduced the growth and reproduction of C. gigas very accurately. The next step will be to validate the model under contrasting coastal environmental conditions so as to confirm the accuracy of phytoplankton enumeration as a way of representing the available food that sustains oyster growth.