Mar. Drugs 2010, 8(5), 1650-1680; doi:10.3390/md8051650
Review

On the Chemistry, Toxicology and Genetics of the Cyanobacterial Toxins, Microcystin, Nodularin, Saxitoxin and Cylindrospermopsin

Leanne Pearson 1 email, Troco Mihali 1 email, Michelle Moffitt 2 email, Ralf Kellmann 3 email and Brett Neilan 1,* email
1 School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia 2 School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, The University of Western Sydney, Campbelltown, NSW, 2560, Australia 3 Department of Molecular Biology, The University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7803, 5020 Bergen, Norway
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 26 March 2010; in revised form: 2 May 2010 / Accepted: 6 May 2010 / Published: 10 May 2010
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Algal Toxins)
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Abstract: 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.
Keywords: cyanotoxin; non-ribosomal peptide; polyketide; alkaloid; toxicology

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MDPI and ACS Style

Pearson, L.; Mihali, T.; Moffitt, M.; Kellmann, R.; Neilan, B. On the Chemistry, Toxicology and Genetics of the Cyanobacterial Toxins, Microcystin, Nodularin, Saxitoxin and Cylindrospermopsin. Mar. Drugs 2010, 8, 1650-1680.

AMA Style

Pearson L, Mihali T, Moffitt M, Kellmann R, Neilan B. On the Chemistry, Toxicology and Genetics of the Cyanobacterial Toxins, Microcystin, Nodularin, Saxitoxin and Cylindrospermopsin. Marine Drugs. 2010; 8(5):1650-1680.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pearson, Leanne; Mihali, Troco; Moffitt, Michelle; Kellmann, Ralf; Neilan, Brett. 2010. "On the Chemistry, Toxicology and Genetics of the Cyanobacterial Toxins, Microcystin, Nodularin, Saxitoxin and Cylindrospermopsin." Mar. Drugs 8, no. 5: 1650-1680.

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