title: β-N-Methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) uptake by the aquatic macrophyte Ceratophyllum demersum.
abstract: Free-living freshwater cyanobacteria contain BMAA in both free cellular and protein-associated forms. Free BMAA released on bloom collapse or during cellular turnover creates a potential source of the non-proteinogenic amino acid for bioaccumulation and biomagnification in aquatic ecosystems. Uptake of free amino acids is well documented in macrophytes and the potential for aquatic macrophytes to bioaccumulate BMAA therefore poses a potential threat where such macrophytes constitute a food source in an ecosystem. BMAA uptake and accumulation by the aquatic macrophyte Ceratophyllum demersum was therefore investigated. Rapid uptake of significant amounts of BMAA was observed in C. demersum. Both free and protein-associated BMAA were observed with protein association following accumulation of free BMAA. The protein association suggests potential biomaccumulation by aquatic macrophytes and offers a possibility of phytoremediation for BMAA removal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 77 000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esterhuizen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pflugmacher
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Downing
mesh_terms: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D017753:Ecosystem; D005618:Fresh Water; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D009498:Neurotoxins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C001824:beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine