Diverse taxa of cyanobacteria produce β- N -methylamino- l -alanine, a neurotoxic amino acid
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa · University of Hawaii System · +3 more institutions
Abstract
Cyanobacteria can generate molecules hazardous to human health, but production of the known cyanotoxins is taxonomically sporadic. For example, members of a few genera produce hepatotoxic microcystins, whereas production of hepatotoxic nodularins appears to be limited to a single genus. Production of known neurotoxins has also been considered phylogenetically unpredictable. We report here that a single neurotoxin, beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine, may be produced by all known groups of cyanobacteria, including cyanobacterial symbionts and free-living cyanobacteria. The ubiquity of cyanobacteria in terrestrial, as well as freshwater, brackish, and marine environments, suggests a potential for wide-spread human…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 21.22
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 29
Authors
10- PAPaul Alan CoxCorresponding
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University of Hawaii System, National Tropical Botanical Garden, Stockholm University, University of Dundee
- SASandra Anne Banack
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University of Hawaii System, National Tropical Botanical Garden, Stockholm University, University of Dundee
- SJSusan J. Murch
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University of Hawaii System, National Tropical Botanical Garden, Stockholm University, University of Dundee
- URUlla Rasmussen
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University of Hawaii System, National Tropical Botanical Garden, Stockholm University, University of Dundee
- GTGeorgia Tien
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University of Hawaii System, National Tropical Botanical Garden, Stockholm University, University of Dundee
Topics & keywords
- Cyanobacteria
- Neurotoxin
- Biology
- Marine toxin
- Brackish water
- Toxin
- Alanine
- Amino acid
- Life below water