First report of microcystin-producing Fischerella sp. (Stigonematales, Cyanobacteria) in tropical Australia

Samuel Cirés; Carlos Alvarez-Roa; Susanna A Wood; Jonathan Puddick; Virginia Loza; Kirsten Heimann

doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.06.010

First report of microcystin-producing Fischerella sp. (Stigonematales, Cyanobacteria) in tropical Australia

Toxicon. 2014 Sep:88:62-6. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.06.010. Epub 2014 Jun 18.

Authors

Samuel Cirés¹, Carlos Alvarez-Roa², Susanna A Wood³, Jonathan Puddick⁴, Virginia Loza², Kirsten Heimann⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Queensland, Australia; Comparative Genomics Centre, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Queensland, Australia.
² School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Queensland, Australia.
³ Cawthron Institute, Nelson 7042, New Zealand; Department of Biological Sciences, Private Bag 3105, University of Waikato, Hamilton 2001, New Zealand.
⁴ Cawthron Institute, Nelson 7042, New Zealand.
⁵ School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Queensland, Australia; Comparative Genomics Centre, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 24951873
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.06.010

Abstract

A polyphasic study of four Stigonematales cyanobacteria from tropical Australia (Queensland) revealed production of the hepatotoxins microcystins (MC-LR, MC-LA, MC-LF, MC-FR and demethyl-MC-LR) by Fischerella sp. NQAIF311 isolated from a seasonal creek. Total microcystin content reached 43 μg g(-1) dry weight. Phylogeny demonstrated high sequence similarities for 16S rRNA (99%), mcyE (97%) and mcyD (95%) genes with microcystin-producing Fischerella sp. CENA161 from Brazil. This is the first report of a cyanotoxin-producing Stigonematal in Australia.

Keywords: Benthic; Fischerella; Hepatotoxin; Microcystin; Stigonematales; Tropical.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cyanobacteria / classification
Cyanobacteria / genetics
Cyanobacteria / isolation & purification*
Microcystins / biosynthesis*
Phylogeny
Queensland

Substances

Microcystins
microcystin