Toxicity and toxins of natural blooms and isolated strains of Microcystis spp. (Cyanobacteria) and improved procedure for purification of cultures.

All samples of cyanobacterial blooms collected from 1986 to 1989 from Lake Kasumigaura, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, were hepatotoxic. The 50% lethal doses (LD50s) of the blooms to mice ranged from 76 to 556 mg/kg of body weight. Sixty-eight Microcystis cell clones (67 Microcystis aeruginosa and 1 M. viridis) were isolated from the blooms. Twenty-three strains (including the M. viridis strain) were toxic. However, the ratio of toxic to nontoxic strains among the blooms varied (6 to 86%). Microcystins were examined in six toxic strains. Five toxic strains produced microcystin-RR, -YR, and -LR, with RR being the dominant toxin in these strains. Another strain produced 7-desmethylmicrocystin-LR and an unknown microcystin. This strain showed the highest toxicity. Establishment of axenic strains from the Microcystis cells exhibiting extracellularly mucilaginous materials was successful by using a combination of the agar plate technique and two-step centrifugation.     

Toxicity and toxins of natural blooms and isolated strains of Microcystis spp. (Cyanobacteria) and improved procedure for purification of cultures

All samples of cyanobacterial blooms collected from 1986 to 1989 from Lake Kasumigaura, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, were hepatotoxic. The 50% lethal doses (LD50s) of the blooms to mice ranged from 76 to 556 mg/kg of body weight. Sixty-eight Microcystis cell clones (67 Microcystis aeruginosa and 1 M. viridis) were isolated from the blooms. Twenty-three strains (including the M. viridis strain) were toxic. However, the ratio of toxic to nontoxic strains among the blooms varied (6 to 86%). Microcystins were examined in six toxic strains. Five toxic strains produced microcystin-RR, -YR, and -LR, with RR being the dominant toxin in these strains. Another strain produced 7-desmethylmicrocystin-LR and an unknown microcystin. This strain showed the highest toxicity. Establishment of axenic strains from the Microcystis cells exhibiting extracellularly mucilaginous materials was successful by using a combination of the agar plate technique and two-step centrifugation.     

STRONG PROBABILITY OF LETHAL TOXICITY IN THE BLUE-GREEN ALGA MICROCYSTIS VIRIDIS LEMMERMANN1

Lethal toxicity (intraperitoneal, mouse) was examined in relation to Species composition of samples containing bloom-forming Microcystis populations from natural waters and correlated with toxicity of laboratory strains of four Microcystis formas and species. Toxicity was not always associated with the presence of M. aeruginosa f . aeruginosa Elenkin. A sample with almost all cells of M. aeruginosa f . aeruginosa showed no toxicity, However samples comprised of a high percentage of M. viridis Lemmermann often showed lethal toxicity. Toxicity tests were done on culture strains M. aeruginosa f aeruginosa, M. aeruginosa f flos-aquae Elenkin , M. viridis and M. wesenbergii Kamárek. All five cultured strains of M. viridis were found to be toxic, while only one out of nine strains of M. aeruginosa f . aeruginosa was toxic. Six strains of M. wesenbergii showed no toxicity, It is recommended that attention should be paid to the occurrences and possibility of toxic bloom of M. viridis from the standpoint of water management and public health .     

Neutralization of microcystin shock in mice by tumor necrosis factor alpha antiserum

Microcystis aeruginosa is a common cyanobacterium in water blooms that appear widely in nutrient-rich, fresh, and brackish waters, and its toxic blooms cause the death of domestic animals. The administration of a crude toxic cell extract of M. aeruginosa K-139 to mice can produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and prompt severe physiological disturbances, especially liver damage, which can lead to death. The in vitro production of TNF-alpha by peritoneal macrophages was observed after stimulation with the cell extract or the purified toxin from K-139 cells. The expression of a TNF-alpha mRNA was also detected in spleen cells and peritoneal macrophages after stimulation with the cell extract. However, a previous injection of rabbit anti-murine TNF-alpha serum could prevent the liver damage to some extent and protect the mice from death. These findings indicate the involvement of TNF in microcystin shock.     

Neutralization of microcystin shock in mice by tumor necrosis factor alpha antiserum.

Microcystis aeruginosa is a common cyanobacterium in water blooms that appear widely in nutrient-rich, fresh, and brackish waters, and its toxic blooms cause the death of domestic animals. The administration of a crude toxic cell extract of M. aeruginosa K-139 to mice can produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and prompt severe physiological disturbances, especially liver damage, which can lead to death. The in vitro production of TNF-alpha by peritoneal macrophages was observed after stimulation with the cell extract or the purified toxin from K-139 cells. The expression of a TNF-alpha mRNA was also detected in spleen cells and peritoneal macrophages after stimulation with the cell extract. However, a previous injection of rabbit anti-murine TNF-alpha serum could prevent the liver damage to some extent and protect the mice from death. These findings indicate the involvement of TNF in microcystin shock.     

Toxicity of Microcystis aeruginosa K-139 strain

Toxicity of the cells of a newly established axenic Microcystis aeruginosa K-139 strain to mice was studied. LD50 of the cells harvested in the mid-log phase was 7.3 mg/kg. The organs of acute dead mice were examined histopathologically. The blood congestion and necrosis of the parenchymal cells around the central veins in the liver were observed, but other organs seemed to be normal. The liver damage was confirmed by the tests of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) activities in the sera of the mice after the injection with the K-139 cells. Furthermore, the K-139 cells were capable of inducing interleukin 1 (IL-1) production by peritoneal macrophages in vitro.     

阴离子表面活性剂LAS对产毒和无毒微囊藻生长及产毒特性的影响

文章研究了低浓度范围内不同浓度梯度的阴离子表面活性剂直链烷基苯磺酸盐(LAS)对产毒微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa, FACHB905)和无毒微囊藻(Microcystis wesenbergii, FACHB908)生长、光合特性、种间竞争及毒素合成的影响。结果表明,在0.05—5.0 mg/L LAS浓度梯度处理下,产毒微囊藻的生物量、产毒基因mcyD表达量和每细胞MCs含量均在培养12d后显著增加。产毒微囊藻胞内和胞外MCs含量在各LAS浓度处理后分别为0.069、0.052、0.061、0.038和0.037 fg/fg Chl.a及107.1、103.7、127.1、99.6和113.7 ng/L。即使在0.5 mg/L低浓度LAS处理条件下,上述3个参数也分别比对照组显著增加了24.2%、12.4倍和10.4%。浓度为0—0.2 mg/L LAS对无毒微囊藻的生物量无明显影响,而较高浓度的LAS(0.5—5.0 mg/L)明显抑制了无毒微囊藻的生长。在两株微囊藻混合培养时, 0.2—1.0 mg/L LAS处理组的产毒铜绿微囊藻mcy D的表达对LAS...     

七株微囊藻系统进化关系的RAPD-PCR分析

应用RAPD-PCR的方法,选用24个随机引物,分析来自不同地区的7株微囊藻的基因组多态性。结果显示,Microcystis.viridis及M.wesenbergii明显与M.aeruginosa区分开。M.aeruginosa分为两个可视为不同种的异源分类单位。作为对照的Anabaena sp.7120与其他微囊藻株表现出完全不同的基因型及更远的遗传距离。 此项研究表明,以基因型而不是表现型为基础,分析蓝藻种内及种间区别是可能的。因此,为解决蓝藻分类问题,特别是在种和属的水平上,提供了重要的线索。结合正在进行的用特异性及准确性强的引物区分微囊藻产毒及非产毒株的方法,RAPD-PCR可望将微囊藻产毒及非产毒株进化关系澄清。     

Increasing oxygen radicals and water temperature select for toxic Microcystis sp

Pronounced rises in frequency of toxic cyanobacterial blooms are recently observed worldwide, particularly when temperatures increase. Different strains of cyanobacterial species vary in their potential to produce toxins but driving forces are still obscure. Our study examines effects of hydrogen peroxide on toxic and non-toxic (including a non-toxic mutant) strains of M. aeruginosa. Here we show that hydrogen peroxide diminishes chlorophyll a content and growth of cyanobacteria and that this reduction is significantly lower for toxic than for non-toxic strains. This indicates that microcystins protect from detrimental effects of oxygen radicals. Incubation of toxic and non-toxic strains of M. aeruginosa with other bacteria or without (axenic) at three temperatures (20, 26 and 32°C) reveals a shift toward toxic strains at higher temperatures. In parallel to increases in abundance of toxic (i.e. toxin gene possessing) strains and their actual toxin expression, concentrations of microcystins rise with temperature, when amounts of radicals are expected to be enhanced. Field samples from three continents support the influence of radicals and temperature on toxic potential of M. aeruginosa. Our results imply that global warming will significantly increase toxic potential and toxicity of cyanobacterial blooms which has strong implications for socio-economical assessments of global change.     

二种淡水微囊藻rDNA16S-235基因间隔区的序列测定与分析

本研究采用PCR及序列测定的方法,对我国淡水铜绿微囊藻有毒株(M8641)和另一低毒的种类惠氏微囊藻(M574)rDNA16S-23S基因间隔区进行了序列的测定和分析,结果表明:rDNA16S-23S基因间隔区可以作为一个精细且稳定的指标,用于微囊藻的分类和鉴定。并从分子水平提出了铜绿微囊藻与惠氏微囊藻在种系发生上有较近缘的关系。本文首次对微囊藻属Microcystis rDNA基因间隔区全序列作了报道,为微囊藻属的鉴定及系统学研究提供了分子基础。       

东湖蓝藻水华毒性的研究 Ⅱ.季节变化及微囊藻的毒性

1984年至1986年间武汉东湖(包括湖边池塘)的水华有7种,即铜绿微囊藻、大型铜绿微囊藻、边缘微囊藻、水华鱼腥藻、卷曲鱼腥藻、美丽颤藻和束丝藻。经生物测定,除束丝藻未测、卷曲鱼腥藻和美丽颤藻未测出毒性外,其余4种皆为有毒水华。东湖的水华随着季节变化而有不同类型的更迭,其出现格局为:卷曲鱼腥藻、微囊藻、颤藻、微囊藻。微囊藻水华的毒性在不同季节也有较大差异,毒性最低在8—9月份,最高在12月份(LD_(50)=24mg/kg鼠重),随着温度的降低而提高。讨论了某些环境参数与微囊藻水华形成及其毒性变化的关系。此外,还用脑内注射和腹腔注射方法,研究了微囊藻毒素的毒性表现。     

Grazing rates on toxic and non-toxic strains of cyanobacteria by Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Oreochromis niloticus

The tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and the silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix were exposed to toxic and non-toxic strains of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa in order to determine if cells of the toxic strain were ingested and, if not, by what mechanism they were excluded. Enumeration of cyanobacterial particles before and after exposure to fish showed that there were no significant differences (P<0.05) at the end of the trial between the toxic treatment and the control consisting of toxic M. aeruginosa with no fish. Fish exposed to the non-toxic strain increased opercular beat rate, elevating the volumes of water and food material passed over the gills whereas those that were held in the toxic strain did not. Of the cyanobacterial toxins (microcystins) presented to the fish, most were in the cyanobacterial cells, toxin levels in the water being below the level of detectability (<250 ng l⁻¹), The ability of the fish to differentiate between toxic and non-toxic cyanobacterial strains may thus be determined by very low levels of extracellular microcystins or/and other features which distinguish toxic from non-toxic M. aeruginosa strains, such as cell surface components.     

铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)对惠氏微囊藻(Microcystis wesenbergii)的化感作用

通过混合培养和添加过滤液两种方式观察铜绿微囊藻和惠氏微囊藻的生长曲线,探讨两种微囊藻之间的化感作用。结果表明:在混合培养条件下,两者能够形成相互抑制作用;当两者起始藻密度高于0.5×106cells.mL-1、混合比为1:1时,惠氏微囊藻的生长因化感作用而受到显著抑制(P<0.05),同时惠氏微囊藻也会对铜绿微囊藻产生一定的胁迫作用;处于对数生长期的铜绿微囊藻过滤液能抑制惠氏微囊藻的生长,且惠氏微囊藻起始藻密度低于0.5×106cells.mL-1,连续滴加该过滤液后,其生长受到极显著抑制(P<0.01)。     

Competition for light between toxic and nontoxic strains of the harmful cyanobacterium Microcystis

The cyanobacterium Microcystis can produce microcystins, a family of toxins that are of major concern in water management. In several lakes, the average microcystin content per cell gradually declines from high levels at the onset of Microcystis blooms to low levels at the height of the bloom. Such seasonal dynamics might result from a succession of toxic to nontoxic strains. To investigate this hypothesis, we ran competition experiments with two toxic and two nontoxic Microcystis strains using light-limited chemostats. The population dynamics of these closely related strains were monitored by means of characteristic changes in light absorbance spectra and by PCR amplification of the rRNA internal transcribed spacer region in combination with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, which allowed identification and semiquantification of the competing strains. In all experiments, the toxic strains lost competition for light from nontoxic strains. As a consequence, the total microcystin concentrations in the competition experiments gradually declined. We did not find evidence for allelopathic interactions, as nontoxic strains became dominant even when toxic strains were given a major initial advantage. These findings show that, in our experiments, nontoxic strains of Microcystis were better competitors for light than toxic strains. The generality of this finding deserves further investigation with other Microcystis strains. The competitive replacement of toxic by nontoxic strains offers a plausible explanation for the gradual decrease in average toxicity per cell during the development of dense Microcystis blooms.     

Phylogenetic Inference of Colony Isolates Comprising Seasonal Microcystis Blooms in Lake Taihu, China

Blooms of the toxin-producing cyanobacterium, Microcystis spp., are an increasingly prevalent water quality problem and health hazard worldwide. China's third largest lake, Lake Taihu, has been experiencing progressively more severe Microcystis blooms over the past three decades. In 2009 and 2010, individual Microcystis colonies, consisting of four different morphospecies, were isolated and genotyped using a whole-cell multiplex PCR assay. The 16S-23S rDNA-ITS sequences were aligned based on Bayesian inference and indicated that one morphospecies was genetically unique (Microcystis wesenbergii) and three were indistinguishable (Microcystis aeruginosa, Microcystis flos-aquae, and Microcystis ichthyoblabe). Microcystin (mcyB) genes were detected intermittently in two of the morphospecies while the other two morphospecies lacked the mcyB gene in all samples. Water temperature was found to influence bloom formation and morphotype prevalence, and chlorophyll a and temperature were positively and significantly correlated with microcystin concentration. Cooler water temperatures promoted toxigenic strains of Microcystis. Wind appeared to influence the distribution of morphotypes across the lake, with M. aeruginosa and M. ichthyoblabe being more susceptible to wind stress than M. wesenbergii and M. flos-aquae. The results of this study indicated that the blooms were composed of a variety of Microcystis morphospecies, with more genotypes observed than can be attributed to individual morphotypes. We conclude that morphology is not a reliable indicator of toxigenicity in Lake Taihu, and caution should be exercised when the M. aeruginosa morphotype is present because it is capable of producing MC-LR, the most toxic microcystin isoform.     

Morphological variability of colonies of Microcystis morphospecies in culture

Serial observations were carried out on cultures of five morphospecies of the genus Microcystis Kützing ex Lemmermann 1907, Microcystis aeruginosa (Kützing) Kützing, Microcystis ichthyoblabe Kützing, Microcystis novacekii (Komárek) Compére, Microcystis viridis (A. Brown) Lemmermann, and Microcystis wesenbergii (Komárek) Komárek in Kondratieva. Many strains maintained colony forms characteristic of their morphospecies, and others showed morphological variations, some of which were characteristic of other morphospecies. M. novacekii displayed several morphotypes including some characteristics of M. aeruginosa and M. ichthyoblabe. M. wesenbergii also showed great morphological variability and showed morphotypes characteristic of M. aeruginosa. Distinction among these morphospecies, therefore, seemed to be obscure or impossible. We conclude that the current classification of the genus Microcystis, chiefly based on morphological characteristics, is no longer valid and must be reviewed in light of our observations that one strain may have various colony forms.     

Purification and some properties of Clostridium botulinum type AB toxin

Abstract The progenitor toxin of Clostridium botulinum type AB was purified; both large-sized (L) and medium-sized (M) toxins were found. The toxicity of M toxin increased by about 10-fold upon trypsinization; the increase was due mostly to type B toxin and a little to type A toxin. M toxin appeared to consist of one molecule each of toxic and nontoxic components. The activated toxic component was made up of four fragments, A-H- and L-chains and B-H- and L-chains. AB toxin may be a mixture of A and B toxins.     

Comparative protein expression in different strains of the bloom-forming cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa

Toxin production in algal blooms presents a significant problem for the water industry. Of particular concern is microcystin, a potent hepatotoxin produced by the unicellular freshwater species Microcystis aeruginosa. In this study, the proteomes of six toxic and nontoxic strains of M. aeruginosa were analyzed to gain further knowledge in elucidating the role of microcystin production in this microorganism. This represents the first comparative proteomic study in a cyanobacterial species. A large diversity in the protein expression profiles of each strain was observed, with a significant proportion of the identified proteins appearing to be strain-specific. In total, 475 proteins were identified reproducibly and of these, 82 comprised the core proteome of M. aeruginosa. The expression of several hypothetical and unknown proteins, including four possible operons was confirmed. Surprisingly, no proteins were found to be produced only by toxic or nontoxic strains. Quantitative proteome analysis using the label-free normalized spectrum abundance factor approach revealed nine proteins that were differentially expressed between toxic and nontoxic strains. These proteins participate in carbon-nitrogen metabolism and redox balance maintenance and point to an involvement of the global nitrogen regulator NtcA in toxicity. In addition, the switching of a previously inactive toxin-producing strain to microcystin synthesis is reported.     

GENETIC VARIABILITY OF BRAZILIAN STRAINS OF THE MICROCYSTIS AERUGINOSA COMPLEX (CYANOBACTERIA/CYANOPHYCEAE) USING THE PHYCOCYANIN INTERGENIC SPACER AND FLANKING REGIONS (cpcBA)

The genetic and morphological variability among 15 Brazilian strains of Microcystis aeruginosa (Kütz.) Kütz. collected from four locations was examined and compared with several reference strains of M. aeruginosa , M. viridis (A. Br.) Lemm. and M. wesenbergii (Kom.) Kom. in Kondr. Brazilian strains were classified by morphological features and by comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the cpc BA intergenic spacer and flanking regions. Our results indicate that Brazilian strains classified as M. aeruginosa are phylogenetically diverse compared with reference strains of M. aeruginosa and that the current taxonomy underestimates genetic diversity within M. aeruginosa. The data also demonstrate that morphological criteria alone are inadequate to characterize Microcystis species. Although colonial characters were shown to vary considerably in culture, some genetic lineages demonstrated consistent cellular diameter ranges, indicating that cell size has value as a taxonomic character. The detection of six M. aeruginosa genotypes in a single water body indicates that morphological approaches can also seriously underestimate the diversity of Microcystis bloom populations.     

Effect of Nitrogen and Phosphorus on Growth of Toxic and Nontoxic Microcystis Strains and on Intracellular Microcystin Concentrations

The growth and intracellular microcystin concentration of two hepatotoxic and two nontoxic axenic Microcystis strains were measured in batch cultures with variable nitrogen (0.84-84 mg L(-1)) and phosphorus (0.05-5.5 mg L(-1)) concentrations. Growth was estimated by measuring dry weight, optical density, chlorophyll a, and cellular protein concentration. Microcystin concentrations in cells and in culture medium were measured by HPLC analysis. Both nontoxic strains needed less nutrients for their growth at low nutrient concentrations. With high nutrient concentrations the toxic strains grew better than the nontoxic strains. Growth and intracellular microcystin concentration did not correlate in the hepatotoxic strains. Multivariate regression analysis together with mathematical modeling revealed a significant interactive effect of nitrogen and phosphorus, which partly explains the controversial results obtained in previous studies. In this study we have shown that variation of nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations influence the growth and the microcystin production of Microcystis strains and that the strains differ in their response to nutrients. High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in freshwaters may favor the growth of toxic Microcystis strains over nontoxic ones.