Research interests

Research area: using fish as a model for nutritional ontogenesis to comprehensively investigate the effects of nanomaterials (NM) on the gut microbiota of fish, NM transfer through aquatic food chains, and to find out the fate of NM in water, bottom sediments, and organisms depending on environmental factors. Evaluation of the effects of CdSe/ZnS-COOH and CuInS/ZnS-COOH quantum dots (QD) and Cd2+ ions separately on fish embryos, larvae and fry. NM photoluminescence and their distribution in the fish body, NM structure, size, concentration, stability, aggregation, agglomeration, metal accumulation in embryos, larvae and juveniles were studied by physicochemical methods. To investigate by microbiological and molecular methods, the antibacterial activity of NM and Cd2+ ions against bacteria isolated from the intestines of salmonids and to perform in vivo studies of the gut microbiota of fish. To find out the causes of changes in the gut microbiota that can cause dysbiosis and endanger fish health.

Annotation of the dissertation

Aim – using fish as a model for nutritional ontogenesis to comprehensively investigate the effects of nanomaterials (NM) on the gut microbiota of fish, NM transfer through aquatic food chains, and to find out the fate of NM in water, bottom sediments, and organisms depending on environmental factors.
The effects of CdSeZnS-COOH and CuInS/ZS-COOH quantum dots/QD) and Cd2+ separately on embryos, larvae and fry of fish Oncorhynchus mykiss and Salmo tutta were evaluated. NM structure, size, concentration, stability, aggregation, agglomeration, metal accumulation in embryos, larvae and fry were studied by physicochemical methods. Using microbiological and molecular methods, the antibacterial activity of NM and Cd2+ ions against bacteria isolated from the gut was investigated. To identify the isolated gut bacteria, total DNA was extracted using the kits, the 16S rRNA gene was amplified by PCR, and its sequencing was performed. Illumina® MiSeq™ next-generation sequencing was performed to study the gut microbiota of Salmo trutta in vivo under the influence of QD. QD was found to enter the digestive tract of larvae (mixed diet)/fry (exogenous diet) with food. The obtained data showed that the tested CdSe/ZnS-COOH and CuInS/ZnS-COOH QD at 4 nM concentrations after 48 h exposure did not cause a statistically significant inhibitory effect on isolated gut bacteria of Salmo trutta fry. The results of the study revealed that intestinal bacteria were not equally sensitive to Cd2+. The most sensitive was Listeria sp. (ST19) – minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were 20-10 mg/l (15 and 25°C) and were significantly (p < 0.001) dependent on temperature. The least sensitive were Microbacterium sp. (ST5) – MIC value was 350 mg/l (15° C) and – 360 mg/l (25° C), and significantly (p < 0.001) depended on temperature. After 7 days of exposure to food contaminated with CdSe/ZnS-COOH QD‘s, the alpha diversity of the intestinal microbiota of Salmo trutta fry was reduced, but there was no reliable difference with the control. The LEfSe algorithm demonstrated reliable differences in relative abundance of 28 taxa at different taxonomic levels between the control and QD-exposed groups. Summarizing the obtained results, it can be stated that after 7 days of feeding fish with QD-contaminated feed, the relative abundance of some taxa of the intestinal microbiota significantly changes: the number of some increases significantly, while the number of others decreases. Such changes in the gut microbiota can cause dysbiosis and pose a risk to fish health.

  1. Butrimienė R., Kalnaitytė A., Januškaitė E., Bagdonas S., Jurgelėnė Ž., Butkauskas D., Virbickas T., Montvydienė D., Kazlauskienė N. and Skrodenytė-Arbačiauskienė V. An in vitro assay to assess the antibacterial efficacy of Cd-based, Cd free quantum dots and Cd2+ on gut bacteria from wild Salmo trutta fry. Book of Proceedings 9th International Conference on Environmental Management, Engineering, Planning & Economics (CEMEPE 2022) and SECOTOX, Mykonos, Greece, June 5-9, 2022, pp. 258-267 ISBN: 978-618-5494-97-1.
  2. Jurgelėnė, Ž., Butrimienė, R., Kazlauskienė, N., Montvydienė, D., Skrodenytė-Arbačiauskienė, V., Stankevičius, M., Rotomskis, R. 2020, Investigations of QDs impact on fish trophic ontogenesis. Proceedings of Conference Protection and Restoration of the Environment XV July 7-10, 2020, Kalamata, Greece http://www.preXV.civil.upatras.gr.

International scientific conferences:

  1. Butrimienė R., Jurgelėnė Ž., Montvydienė D., Jokšas K., Šemčuk S., Kazlauskienė N. 2022. Influence of graphene oxide on the accumulation of metals in Salmo trutta at early life stages. 3rd Baltic Biophysics Conference. October 6-7th, 2022 in the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Saulėtekio av. 3, Vilnius, Lithuania. P. 92 https://bbc.lbfd.lt/
  2. Kazlauskas, M., Jurgelėnė, Ž., Butrimienė, R., Kazlauskienė, N., Montvydienė, D. 2022. Risk assessment of nano- and micro-sized materials for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Book of Proceedings Ninth International Conference on Environmental Management, Engineering, Planning and Economics (CEMEPE 2022) and SECOTOX, Mykonos island, Greece, June 3 to 9. 2022, pp. 239-247 ISBN: 978-618-5494-97-1
  3. Butrimienė R., Kalnaitytė A., Januškaitė E., Bagdonas S., Jurgelėnė Ž., Butkauskas D., Virbickas T., Montvydienė D., Kazlauskienė N. and Skrodenytė-Arbačiauskienė V. 2022. An in vitro assay to assess the antibacterial efficacy of Cd-based, Cd free quantum dots and Cd2+ on gut bacteria from wild Salmo trutta fry. Book of Proceedings 9th International Conference on Environmental Management, Engineering, Planning & Economics (CEMEPE 2022) and SECOTOX, Mykonos, Greece, June 5-9, 2022, pp. 258-267 ISBN: 978-618-5494-97-1.
  4. Kazlauskas M., Butrimienė R., Montvydienė D., Jurgelėnė Ž., Jagminas A., Kazlauskienė N. 2020. Impact of magnetic nanoparticles (CoFe2O4, MnFe2O4 and Fe3O4) on Lepidium sativum L. Abstract book. Conference of Natural and Life sciences COINS, Vilnius 2020 kovo mėn. (stendinis pranešimas)
  5. Montvydienė D., Jurgelėnė Ž., Kazlauskas M., Butrimienė R., Šemčiuk S., Makaras T., Jokšas K., Kazlauskienė N. 2020. The impact of graphene oxide nanostructures on phytotoxicity of metal mixtures and metal uptake in Lepidium sativum. Abstract book. Sixth International Symposium on Green Chemistry, Sustainable Development and Circular Economy Thessaloniki, Greece, from September 20 to 23, 2020, Žodinis pranešimas (PPT online).
  6. Jurgelėnė Ž., Montvydienė D., Butrimienė R., Kazlauskas M., Šemčiuk S., Makaras T., Jokšas K., Kazlauskienė N. 2020. Influence of graphene oxide nanostructures on mitigation of metals toxicity to fish at early development Abstract book. Sixth International Symposium on Green Chemistry, Sustainable Development and Circular Economy Thessaloniki, Greece, from September 20 to 23, 2020, Žodinis pranešimas (PPT online).
  7. Jurgelėnė Ž., Butrimienė R., Kazlauskienė N., Montvydienė D., SkrodenytėArbačiauskienė V., Stankevičius M., Rotomskis R. 2020. Investigations of QDs impact on fish trophic ontogenesis. Proceedings of conference Protecton and Restoraton of the Environment XV July 7-10, 2020, Kalamata, Greece, pp. 667. http://www.preXV.civil.upatras.gr

National scientific conferences:

  1. Butrimienė R., Skrodenytė-Arbačiauskienė V., Montvydienė D., Jurgelėnė Ž., Butkauskas D., Kazlauskienė N. 2021. Effects of Cd based, Cd free quantum dots and Cd2+ on isolated Gut microbiota of Salmo trutta fry. Abstract book. 64th International Conference Open Readings 2021 March 16-19, Vilnius Lithuania. Open Readings 2021, March 16-19, 2021, Vilnius, Lithuania Abstract book. 04-5 P. 53. https://www.openreadings.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Abstract_book_2021S.pdf (oral presentation)
  2. Kazlauskas M., Butrimienė R., Montvydienė D. , Jurgelėnė Ž., Jagminas A., Kazlauskienė N. Impact of magnetic nanoparticles (CoFe2O4, MnFe2O4 and Fe3O4) on Lepidium sativum L. ABSTRACT. Conference of Natural and Life sciences (COINS), 2020 kovas, Poster.

OTHERS
Lithuanian scientific conferences, events, interviews and publications:
1. Jurgelėnė Ž., Kazlauskas M., Butrimienė R. Bučaitė A. 2022. 3-oji Baltijos biofizikų konferencija https://gamtostyrimai.lt/…/3-oji-baltijos-biofiziku.. ir https://bbc.lbfd.lt/

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