US EPA

7427162 

Journal Article 

Review 

On the chemistry, toxicology and genetics of the cyanobacterial toxins, microcystin, nodularin, saxitoxin and cylindrospermopsin 

Pearson, L; Mihali, T; Moffitt, M; Kellmann, R; Neilan, B; , 

2010 

1 

Marine Drugs
ISSN: 1660-3397
EISSN: 16603397 

MDPI 

BASEL 

8 

5 

1650-1680 

English 

20559491 

10.3390/md8051650 

WOS:000278092400007 

http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/8/5/1650
Exit
 

The cyanobacteria or "blue-green algae", as they are commonly termed, comprise a diverse group of oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria that inhabit a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial environments, and display incredible morphological diversity. Many aquatic, bloom-forming species of cyanobacteria are capable of producing biologically active secondary metabolites, which are highly toxic to humans and other animals. From a toxicological viewpoint, the cyanotoxins span four major classes: the neurotoxins, hepatotoxins, cytotoxins, and dermatoxins (irritant toxins). However, structurally they are quite diverse. Over the past decade, the biosynthesis pathways of the four major cyanotoxins: microcystin, nodularin, saxitoxin and cylindrospermopsin, have been genetically and biochemically elucidated. This review provides an overview of these biosynthesis pathways and additionally summarizes the chemistry and toxicology of these remarkable secondary metabolites. 

Alkaloid; Cyanotoxin; Non-ribosomal peptide; Polyketide; Toxicology; amino acid derivative; bacterial enzyme; bacterial protein; bacterial toxin; cyanobacterial toxin; cyanotoxin derivative; cylindrospermopsin; microcystin; nodularin; peptide derivative; saxitoxin; saxitoxin derivative; unclassified drug; bacterial toxin; cyanobacterial toxin; cyclopeptide; cylindrospermopsin; marine toxin; microcystin; nodularin; saxitoxin; uracil; animal disease; bacterial gene; bacterial genetics; bacterial strain; biochemistry; biodiversity; biosynthesis; carcinogenicity; cyanobacterium; cytotoxicity; detoxification; environmental factor; food contamination; food poisoning; genetic transcription; health hazard; human; intoxication; liver cell carcinoma; liver toxicity; metabolite; molecular evolution; neurotoxicity; nonhuman; review; skin toxicity; skin tumor; toxicokinetics; toxin analysis; toxin structure; toxin synthesis; water contamination; analogs and derivatives; animal; chemistry; genetics; isolation and purification; metabolism; toxicity; Animalia; Chlorophyta; Cyanobacteria; Animals; Bacterial Toxins; Cyanobacteria; Genes, Bacterial; Marine Toxins; Microcystins; Peptides, Cyclic; Saxitoxin; Uracil