New protocols for the selection and rearing of Metoncholaimus pristiurus and the first evaluation of oxidative stress biomarkers in meiobenthic nematodes

Meiobenthic nematodes have been designated as sensitive global models in the development of biomonitoring and ecotoxicology monitoring programs howbeit the sensitivity of these organisms against oxidative stress biomarkers have never been addressed. The present study aimed to decipher this research axis after selecting and culturing a single nematode species from an entire community through original laboratory protocols. The purpose of this investigation was to change the grain size of the sediment into the immediate environment of nematodes by progressively adding a biosubstrate made from Sepia officinalis endoskeletton. At the end of the experiment, Metoncholaimus pristiurus became the unique component of the nematode species when the sediment was enriched with 80% of S. officinalis powder. After the mono-species level had been achieved, the selected species was fed on an another biosubstrate made from bodies of Porcellio scaber under the identical laboratory controlled conditions of light and temperature adopted during the selection process. Accordingly, the bioassay protocol this study layed new foundations for the study of meiobenthic nematodes in the biomarker field. Our results revealed that, in case of M. pritiurus, discernible oxidative stress responses are valid for catalase and gluthatione S-transferase. Indeed, for both enzymes, a clear increase in the activity was recorded, and the response was more reinforced when zinc and permethrin were administrated in combination. The relevance of the protocols proposed in this work parallels their global applicability to reach and maintain the monospecific level in laboratory by using biosubstrates made from animals widely distributed. It is true also that our data provided the first results in terms of biochemical biomarkers for meiobenthic nematodes and showed that the selected taxa, M. pristiurus, could be one of the first marine taxa responding early to the tested stressors, zinc and permethrin, even at very low concentrations.