Cyanobacteria Characteristics and Methods for Isolation and Accurate Identification of Cyanotoxins: A Review Article

Abstract

Cyanobacteria are bacteria found in different ecosystems, such as lakes and rocks. These bacteria, capable of photosynthesis, are important sources of oxygen. However, some cyanobacterial strains can produce toxins, which are harmful to humans and animals. Therefore, collection of epidemiological and surveillance data on cyanobacterial toxins in the environment is vital to ensure a low risk of exposure to toxins in other organisms. For presentation of accurate data on environmental cyanobacterial toxins, it is essential to understand their characteristics, including taxonomy, toxin proteins, and genomic structures, and determine their environmental effects on bacterial populations and toxin production. Taxonomy, which is the scientific classification of organisms, is important in identifying species producing toxins. The structure of toxin proteins and their stability in the environment allow researchers to detect toxins with analytical methods and discuss their limitations. Onthe other hand, identifying toxins via molecular typing enables researchers to investigate toxic cyanobacteria by detecting toxin-encoding genes and toxin gene expression. Meanwhile, environmental factors, such as nutrient level, light intensity, and biotic factors, allow researchers to predict the suitable time and location for accurate sampling. In this review, these cyanobacterial features, which are important for accurate detection of cyanobacterial toxins, will be discussed.

Influence of Abiotic Factors on the Growth of Cyanobacteria Isolated from Nakdong River, South Korea1

“…Despite their ecological importance, cyanobacteria also can constitute a significant threat to environmental safety and public health. Under favorable conditions, they dominate phytoplankton communities and form dense layers, mats, scums, and blooms (Yusof et al 2017, Bui et al 2018. Some cyanobacterial strains, such as Microcystis, Nodularia, Aphanizomenon, and Cylindrospermopsis, may produce a wide range of cyanotoxins that present a significant threat to animals, humans, and aquatic life (Huisman et al 2018, Facey et al 2019.…”

“…Under favorable conditions, they dominate phytoplankton communities and form dense layers, mats, scums, and blooms (Yusof et al. 2017, Bui et al. 2018).…”

Landfill leachate treatment using single and mixed freshwater cyanobacterial isolates

“…Cyanobacteria also have the ability in adapting an unexpected physical and chemical changes such as light, salinity, temperature, and nutrient composition [15]. Recently, the interest in developing biological remediation of landfill leachate especially, cyanobacteria approach instead of chemical treatment among researchers soars as they realized the ecological importance of this photosynthetic prokaryote [17,18]. This led to the discovery of a bioremediation technique called phycoremediation that utilizes cyanobacteria and other types of algae to treat pollution caused by leachate [11].…”