Adaptive response to environmental changes in the fish pathogen Moritella viscosa

The marine psychrophilic bacterium Moritella viscosa is the causative agent of winter ulcer in farmed Atlantic salmon and cod. In this study, the growth requirements of the pathogen were established. The effects of changes in salinity and temperature on growth, surface features and proteomic regulation were also investigated. The genome of this bacterium has not yet been sequenced; therefore, comparative two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) was used, coupled with high performance tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), to perform cross-species protein identification. Results from this study establish that M. viscosa is a true marine psychrophilic bacterium capable of surviving and proliferating in an oligotrophic and cold environment. Low temperature combined with 3-4% NaCl resulted in significantly higher cell yields and stability compared to high temperature and 1% NaCl. Nine cytoplasmic proteins were shown to be regulated by temperature and 12 by salinity. Several of the regulated proteins indicated a stressful situation at 15 °C compared to 4 °C, consistent with the growth characteristics observed. Furthermore, temperature and salinity were demonstrated to be important determinants of motility and viscosity of M. viscosa.