An examination of the antibiotic effects of cylindrospermopsin on common gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and the protozoan Naegleria lovaniensis

Evaluation of the Removal and Effects of Cylindrospermopsin on Ripened Slow Sand Filters

The occurrence of toxic blooms of cyanobacteria has been a matter of public health interest due to the cyanotoxins produced by these microorganisms. Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a cyanotoxin of particular concern due to its toxic effects on humans. This study investigated the removal and effects of CYN in ripened slow sand filters (SSFs) treating water from Paranoá Lake, Brasilia, Brazil. Four pilot-scale SSFs were ripened and operated for 74 days. Two contamination peaks with CYN were applied along the filtration run. The improvement of any of the evaluated water quality parameters was not affected by the presence of CYN in the raw water. The SSFs efficiently removed CYN, presenting concentrations lower than 0.8 µg/L in the filtered water. The microbiota of the SSFs were dominated by protozoa of the genus Euglypha and amoebas of the genera Arcella, Centropyxis, and Amoeba, together with some groups of rotifers. These microorganisms played a crucial role in removing total coliforms and E. coli. In addition, CYN was not identified as a determining factor in the microbiota composition.

Assessment of Common Cyanotoxins in Cyanobacteria of Biological Loess Crusts

Cyanotoxins are a diverse group of bioactive compounds produced by cyanobacteria that have adverse effects on human and animal health. While the phenomenon of cyanotoxin production in aquatic environments is well studied, research on cyanotoxins in terrestrial environments, where cyanobacteria abundantly occur in biocrusts, is still in its infancy. Here, we investigated the potential cyanotoxin production in cyanobacteria-dominated biological loess crusts (BLCs) from three different regions (China, Iran, and Serbia) and in cyanobacterial cultures isolated from the BLCs. The presence of cyanotoxins microcystins, cylindrospermopsin, saxitoxins, and β-N-methylamino-L-alanine was analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method, while the presence of cyanotoxin-encoding genes (mcyE, cyrJ, sxtA, sxtG, sxtS, and anaC) was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. We could not detect any of the targeted cyanotoxins in the biocrusts or the cyanobacterial cultures, nor could we amplify any cyanotoxin-encoding genes in the cyanobacterial strains. The results are discussed in terms of the biological role of cyanotoxins, the application of cyanobacteria in land restoration programs, and the use of cyanotoxins as biosignatures of cyanobacterial populations in loess research. The article highlights the need to extend the field of research on cyanobacteria and cyanotoxin production to terrestrial environments.

Reviewing Interspecies Interactions as a Driving Force Affecting the Community Structure in Lakes via Cyanotoxins

The escalating occurrence of toxic cyanobacterial blooms worldwide is a matter of concern. Global warming and eutrophication play a major role in the regularity of cyanobacterial blooms, which has noticeably shifted towards the predomination of toxic populations. Therefore, understanding the effects of cyanobacterial toxins in aquatic ecosystems and their advantages to the producers are of growing interest. In this paper, the current literature is critically reviewed to provide further insights into the ecological contribution of cyanotoxins in the variation of the lake community diversity and structure through interspecies interplay. The most commonly detected and studied cyanobacterial toxins, namely the microcystins, anatoxins, saxitoxins, cylindrospermopsins and β-N-methylamino-L-alanine, and their ecotoxicity on various trophic levels are discussed. This work addresses the environmental characterization of pure toxins, toxin-containing crude extracts and filtrates of single and mixed cultures in interspecies interactions by inducing different physiological and metabolic responses. More data on these interactions under natural conditions and laboratory-based studies using direct co-cultivation approaches will provide more substantial information on the consequences of cyanotoxins in the natural ecosystem. This review is beneficial for understanding cyanotoxin-mediated interspecies interactions, developing bloom mitigation technologies and robustly assessing the hazards posed by toxin-producing cyanobacteria to humans and other organisms.

Development and validation of an in-house quantitative analysis method for cylindrospermopsin using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: Quantification demonstrated in 4 aquatic organisms

The cyanobacterial toxin cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is of great concern in aquatic environments because of its incidence, multiple toxicity endpoints, and, therefore, the severity of health implications. It may bioaccumulate in aquatic food webs, resulting in high exposure concentrations to higher-order trophic levels, particularly humans. Because of accumulation at primary levels resulting from exposure to trace amounts of toxin, a sensitive analytical technique with proven aquatic applications is required. In the present study, a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric method with a lower limit of detection of 200 fg on column (signal-to-noise ratio = 3, n = 9) and a lower limit of quantification of 1 pg on column (signal-to-noise ratio = 11, n = 9) with demonstrated application in 4 aquatic organisms is described. The analytical method was optimized and validated with a linear range (r(2) = 0.999) from 0.1 ng mL(-1) to 100 ng mL(-1) CYN. Mean recovery of the extraction method was 98 ± 2%. Application of the method was demonstrated by quantifying CYN uptake in Scenedesmus subspicatus (green algae), Egeria densa (Brazilian waterweed), Daphnia magna (water flea), and Lumbriculus variegatus (blackworm) after 24 h of static exposure to 50 μg L(-1) CYN. Uptake ranged from 0.05% to 0.11% of the nominal CYN exposure amount. This constitutes a sensitive and reproducible method for extraction and quantification of unconjugated CYN with demonstrated application in 4 aquatic organisms, which can be used in further aquatic toxicological investigations.

Evaluation of usefulness of Microbial Assay for Risk Assessment (MARA) in the cyanobacterial toxicity estimation

The aim of the study was to elucidate the usefulness of the Microbial Assay for Risk Assessment (MARA) to evaluate toxicity in samples containing cyanobacterial products. Cyanobacterial extracts with different cyanotoxin contents and pure cyanotoxins-microcystin-LR, cylindrospermopsin and anatoxin-a-were tested. On the basis of the microbial reaction, MARA indicated only slight or no toxicity in the studied extracts. Similarly, no or low toxicity of pure toxins was detected at the concentrations used (up to 10 μg/ml). Weak relationships between the reactions of individual organisms exposed to cyanotoxin-containing extracts and to the same pure toxins were observed. On the other hand, inhibition of some organisms, such as Pichia anomalia, whose growth was not impacted by pure cyanotoxins, indicated the presence of other biologically active compounds in the studied extracts. In conclusion, MARA assay is not enough sensitive to be used as a good tool for cyanotoxin screening. It may, however, be applied in searching for antimicrobial/antifungal cyanobacteria-derived compounds.

Influence of two depuration periods on the activity and transcription of antioxidant enzymes in tilapia exposed to repeated doses of cylindrospermopsin under laboratory conditions

The cyanobacterial toxin Cylindrospermopsin (CYN), a potent protein synthesis inhibitor, is increasingly being found in freshwater bodies infested by cyanobacterial blooms worldwide. Moreover, it has been reported to be implicated in human intoxications and animal mortality. Recently, the alteration of the activity and gene expression of some glutathione related enzymes in tilapias (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to a single dose of CYN has been reported. However, little is known about the effects induced by repeated doses of this toxin in tilapias exposed by immersion and the potential reversion of these biochemical alterations after two different depuration periods (3 or 7 days). In the present study, tilapias were exposed by immersion to repeated doses of a CYN-containing culture of Aphanizomenon ovalisporum during 14 days, and then were subjected to depuration periods (3 or 7 days) in clean water in order to examine the potential reversion of the effects observed. The activity and relative mRNA expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and soluble glutathione-S-transferases (sGST), and also the sGST protein abundance by Western blot analysis were evaluated in liver and kidney of fish. Results showed significant alterations in most of the parameters evaluated and their recovery after 3 days (GPx activity, sGST relative abundance) or 7 days (GPx gene expression, sGST activity). These findings not only confirm the oxidative stress effects produced in fish by cyanobacterial cells containing CYN, but also show the effectiveness of depuration processes in mitigating the CYN-containing culture toxic effects.

Aphanizomenon gracile (Nostocales), a cylindrospermopsin-producing cyanobacterium in Polish lakes

The cyanobacterial cytotoxin cylindrospermopsin (CYN) has become increasingly common in fresh waters worldwide. It was originally isolated from Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii in Australia; however, in European waters, its occurrence is associated with other cyanobacterial species belonging to the genera Aphanizomenon and Anabaena. Moreover, cylindrospermopsin-producing strains of widely distributed C. raciborskii have not yet been observed in European waters. The aims of this work were to assess the occurrence of CYN in lakes of western Poland and to identify the CYN producers. The ELISA tests, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-DAD, and HPLC-mass spectrometry (MS)/MS were conducted to assess the occurrence of CYN in 36 lakes. The cyrJ, cyrA, and pks genes were amplified to identify toxigenic genotypes of cyanobacteria that are capable of producing CYN. The toxicity and toxigenicity of the C. raciborskii and Aphanizomenon gracile strains isolated from the studied lakes were examined. Overall, CYN was detected in 13 lakes using HPLC-MS/MS, and its concentrations varied from trace levels to 3.0 μg L(-1). CYN was widely observed in lakes of western Poland during the whole summer under different environmental conditions. Mineral forms of nutrients and temperature were related to CYN production. The molecular studies confirmed the presence of toxigenic cyanobacterial populations in all of the samples where CYN was detected. The toxicity and toxigenicity analyses of isolated cyanobacteria strains revealed that A. gracile was the major producer of CYN.

Interpreting the possible ecological role(s) of cyanotoxins: compounds for competitive advantage and/or physiological aide?

To date, most research on freshwater cyanotoxin(s) has focused on understanding the dynamics of toxin production and decomposition, as well as evaluating the environmental conditions that trigger toxin production, all with the objective of informing management strategies and options for risk reduction. Comparatively few research studies have considered how this information can be used to understand the broader ecological role of cyanotoxin(s), and the possible applications of this knowledge to the management of toxic blooms. This paper explores the ecological, toxicological, and genetic evidence for cyanotoxin production in natural environments. The possible evolutionary advantages of toxin production are grouped into two main themes: That of "competitive advantage" or "physiological aide". The first grouping illustrates how compounds produced by cyanobacteria may have originated from the need for a cellular defence mechanism, in response to grazing pressure and/or resource competition. The second grouping considers the contribution that secondary metabolites make to improved cellular physiology, through benefits to homeostasis, photosynthetic efficiencies, and accelerated growth rates. The discussion also includes other factors in the debate about possible evolutionary roles for toxins, such as different modes of exposures and effects on non-target (i.e., non-competitive) species. The paper demonstrates that complex and multiple factors are at play in driving evolutionary processes in aquatic environments. This information may provide a fresh perspective on managing toxic blooms, including the need to use a "systems approach" to understand how physico-chemical conditions, as well biological stressors, interact to trigger toxin production.

ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CYANOBACTERIA POSSESSING ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY FROM THE SUNDARBANS, THE WORLD'S LARGEST TIDAL MANGROVE FOREST(1)

Eight obligately halophilic, euryhaline cyanobacteria from intertidal soil were isolated in artificial seawater nutrients III (ASN-III) medium. Antimicrobial activity, 16S rRNA gene sequences, phenotypic characters as well as growth and antibiosis in response to variable salinity, temperature, phosphate concentration, and pH were studied. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the extracts against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and multiple drug-resistant clinical isolates ranged between 0.25 and 0.5 mg · mL(-1) . Cytotoxicity tests showed 73%-84% human colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29/C1) cell survival at MIC values, indicating that the extracts were nontoxic. Morphologically, six cyanobacteria were assigned to the Lyngbya-Phormidium-Plectonema (LPP) group B, and one each was assigned to Oscillatoria and Synechocystis genera. Glycerol, mannitol, and starch supported better photoheterotrophic growth than simpler mono- and disaccharides. No heterocyst formation was observed when grown under nitrogen-starved conditions. All isolates survived 7‰ salinity, grew at minimum 32‰ salinity, and showed sustained growth throughout 32‰-82‰ salinity but matured poorly in freshwater medium supplemented with 30.0 g · L(-1) NaCl. Antimicrobial production occurred only at 32‰ salinity. While four of the eight isolates demonstrated sustained growth at 37°C, maximum antimicrobial activity was obtained at 25°C. All strains showed maximum growth and antimicrobial elaboration at 0.04 g · L(-1) phosphate. All isolates thrived at pH 9.5; six grew at pH 4.5, though antimicrobial production occurred only at pH 7.5. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences of the filamentous isolates validated the previous taxonomic affiliations established on morphological characteristics. This is the first study of antimicrobial-producing halophilic cyanobacteria from the mangroves.

Visible light responsive photocatalyst induces progressive and apical-terminus preferential damages on Escherichia coli surfaces

Background

Recent research shows that visible-light responsive photocatalysts have potential usage in antimicrobial applications. However, the dynamic changes in the damage to photocatalyzed bacteria remain unclear.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Facilitated by atomic force microscopy, this study analyzes the visible-light driven photocatalyst-mediated damage of Escherichia coli. Results show that antibacterial properties are associated with the appearance of hole-like structures on the bacteria surfaces. Unexpectedly, these hole-like structures were preferentially induced at the apical terminus of rod shaped E. coli cells. Differentiating the damages into various levels and analyzing the percentage of damage to the cells showed that photocatalysis was likely to elicit sequential damages in E. coli cells. The process began with changing the surface properties on bacterial cells, as indicated in surface roughness measurements using atomic force microscopy, and holes then formed at the apical terminus of the cells. The holes were then subsequently enlarged until the cells were totally transformed into a flattened shape. Parallel experiments indicated that photocatalysis-induced bacterial protein leakage is associated with the progression of hole-like damages, further suggesting pore formation. Control experiments using ultraviolet light responsive titanium-dioxide substrates also obtained similar observations, suggesting that this is a general phenomenon of E. coli in response to photocatalysis.

Conclusion/Significance

The photocatalysis-mediated localization-preferential damage to E. coli cells reveals the weak points of the bacteria. This might facilitate the investigation of antibacterial mechanism of the photocatalysis.

Diversity of and selection acting on cylindrospermopsin cyrB gene adenylation domain sequences in Florida

Aphanizomenon ovalisporum is the only confirmed cylindrospermopsin producer identified in the United States to date. On the other hand, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii is a prominent feature of many lakes in Florida and other regions of the United States. To see the variation in cylindrospermopsin cyrB gene adenylation domain sequences and possibly discover new cylindrospermopsin producers, we collected water samples for a 3-year period from 17 different systems in Florida. Positive amplicons were cloned and sequenced, revealing that approximately 92% of sequences were A. ovalisporum-like (>99% identity). Interestingly, 6% of sequences were very similar (>99% identity) to cyrB sequences of C. raciborskii from Australia and of Aphanizomenon sp. from Germany. Neutrality tests suggest that A. ovalisporum-like cyrB adenylation domain sequences are under purifying selection, with abundant low-frequency polymorphisms within the population. On the other hand, when compared between species by codon-based methods, amino acids of CyrB also seem to be under purifying selection, in accordance with the one proposed amino acid thought to be activated by the CyrB adenylation domain.

Cylindrospermopsin: a decade of progress on bioaccumulation research

Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is rapidly being recognised as one of the most globally important of the freshwater algal toxins. The ever-expanding distribution of CYN producers into temperate zones is heightening concern that this toxin will represent serious human, as well as environmental, health risks across many countries. Since 1999, a number of studies have demonstrated the ability for CYN to bioaccumulate in freshwater organisms. This paper synthesizes the most current information on CYN accumulation, including notes on the global distribution of CYN producers, and a précis of CYN's ecological and human effects. Studies on the bioaccumulation of CYN are systematically reviewed, together with an analysis of patterns of accumulation. A discussion on the factors influencing bioaccumulation rates and potential is also provided, along with notes on detection, monitoring and risk assessments. Finally, key gaps in the existing research are identified for future study.

Seasonal succession of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and Aphanizomenon ovalisporum blooms with cylindrospermopsin occurrence in the volcanic Lake Albano, Central Italy

The cyanobacterial toxin cylindrospermopsin is rapidly spreading in the European temperate Countries. Cylindrospermopsin was detected for the first time in Italy in 2004; in this study, the presence of this toxin in Albano Lake (Central Italy) has been correlated to the cyanobacterial species Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and Aphanizomenon ovalisporum and their population dynamics. In 2004, these two species succeeded in the lake during spring, summer, and early autumn without overlapping, causing superficial blooms. Cylindrospermopsin was detected in lake samples by LC-MS/MS and ELISA immunoassay, showing extracellular superficial values ranging from 2.6 to 126 microg/L, and water column values ranging from 0.41 to 18.4 microg/L. Twenty-six of 30 positive water samples (86%) exceeded the recommended limit of 1 microg/L. Intracellular values up to 42.3 microg/g were measured. Moreover, cylindrospermopsin was detected in tissues from two Salmo trutta trouts (up to 2.7 ng/g) and in a well for drinking water supply (1.6 microg/L). For the first time, two cyanobacterial species producing cylindrospermopsin were detected in the same lake in Italy.