First report of microcystin-LR in the cyanobacterium Gloeotrichia echinulata

• Published in: Environmental toxicology Vol. 22; no. 3; pp. 337 - 339
• Main Authors: Carey, Cayelan C., Haney, James F., Cottingham, Kathryn L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.06.2007; Wiley
• Subjects: Bacteriology; Biologi; Biological and medical sciences; Biology; cyanobacteria; Cyanobacteria - chemistry; Cyanobacteria - metabolism; drinking water; ELISA; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gloeotrichia echinulata; Microbiology; microcystin-LR; Microcystins - chemistry; Microcystins - isolation & purification; NATURAL SCIENCES; NATURVETENSKAP; oligotrophic lakes; Pathogenicity, virulence, toxins, bacteriocins, pyrogens, host-bacteria relations, miscellaneous strains; toxicity; Water Microbiology; Drinking water; Gloeotrichia echinulata; Toxicity; Enzyme immunoassay; oligotrophic lakes; Cyanobacteria; Lakes; Bacteria; Biological contamination; Oligotrophy; ELISA assay; microcystin-LR; ELISA
• ISSN: 1520-4081; 1522-7278; 1522-7278
• DOI: 10.1002/tox.20245

Gloeotrichia echinulata is a bloom‐forming cyanobacterium that is common in eutrophic lakes, and less prevalent but increasing in oligotrophic lakes. We used an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay analysis to test for the presence of the hepatotoxin microcystin‐LR (MC‐LR) in G. echinulata collected from an oligotrophic lake in central New Hampshire, USA. We found that G. echinulata contained MC‐LR at mean concentrations of 97.07 ± 7.78 (1 s.e.) ng MC‐LR g−1 dry wt colonies. This suggests that recent outbreaks of G. echinulata in oligotrophic lakes used as water sources throughout New England (USA) may pose a health concern. The toxicity of G. echinulata reported here suggests the need for future monitoring of microcystins in oligotrophic lakes. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 22: 337–339, 2007.