title: Phytotoxicity associated to microcystins: a review.
abstract: Microcystins (MC) are the most studied toxins of cyanobacteria since they are widely distributed and account for several cases of human and animal poisoning, being potent inhibitors of the serine/threonine protein phosphatases 1 (PP1) and 2A (PP2A). The phosphatases PP1 and PP2A are also present in plants, which may also suffer adverse effects due to the inhibition of these enzymes. In aquatic plants, biomass reduction is usually observed after absorption of cyanotoxins, which can bioaccumulate in its tissues. In terrestrial plants, the effects caused by microcystins vary from inhibition to stimulation as the individuals develop from seedling to adult, and include reduction of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, oxidative stress, decreased photosynthetic activity and even cell apoptosis, as well as bioaccumulation in plant tissues. Thus, the irrigation of crop plants by water contaminated with microcystins is not only an economic problem but becomes a public health issue because of the possibility of food contamination, and this route of exposure requires careful monitoring by the responsible authorities.
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo - USP, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors: M C
authors: MC
authors: Bittencourt-Oliveira
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo - USP, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors: T C
authors: TC
authors: Hereman
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo - USP, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors: M K
authors: MK
authors: Cordeiro-Araújo
authors: Graduating Program on Biological Sciences, São Paulo State University - UNESP, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Macedo-Silva
authors: Departament of Exact Sciences, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo - USP, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors: C T
authors: CT
authors: Dias
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo - USP, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors: F F C
authors: FF
authors: Sasaki
authors: Graduating Program on Botany, Rural and Federal University of Pernambuco - UFRPE, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors: A N
authors: AN
authors: Moura
mesh_terms: D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D052998:Microcystins / Q000633:toxicity*; D054645:Protein Phosphatase 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D054648:Protein Phosphatase 2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D052998:Microcystins; D054645:Protein Phosphatase 1; D054648:Protein Phosphatase 2