Isolation and Detection of Microcystins and Nodularins, Cyanobacterial Peptide Hepatotoxins

Some species and strains within the freshwater cyanobacterial (blue-green algal) genera Microcystis, Oscillatoria (also known as Planktothrix), Anabaena, and Nostoc are known to produce cyclic heptapeptide liver toxins, microcystins. Closely related toxic cyclic pent ape ptides, nodularins, have been isolated from the brackish water cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena . In addition, some cyanobacteria produce neurotoxic compounds such as anatoxin-a, anatoxin-a(s), and saxitoxins. Recent reviews of the chemical and biological properties of microcystins, nodularins, and other cyanobacterial toxins are given in refe . (1 –4 ).