title: Methods for determining microcystins (peptide hepatotoxins) and microcystin-producing cyanobacteria.
abstract: Episodes of cyanobacterial toxic blooms and fatalities to animals and humans due to cyanobacterial toxins (CBT) are known worldwide. The hepatotoxins and neurotoxins (cyanotoxins) produced by bloom-forming cyanobacteria have been the cause of human and animal health hazards and even death. Prevailing concentration of cell bound endotoxin, exotoxin and the toxin variants depend on developmental stages of the bloom and the cyanobacterial (CB) species involved. Toxic and non-toxic strains do not show any predictable morphological difference. The current instrumental, immunological and molecular methods applied for determining microcystins (peptide hepatotoxins) and microcystin-producing cyanobacteria are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Biotechnology Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nehru Marg, Nagpur 440 020, India. lalita_sangolkar05@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Lalita N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Sangolkar
authors.forename: Sarika S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Maske
authors.forename: Tapan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chakrabarti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D052998:Microcystins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D052998:Microcystins