The biodegradation of microcystins in temperate freshwater bodies with previous cyanobacterial history

Cyanobacterial blooms and cyanotoxins occur in freshwater lakes and reservoirs all over the world. Bacterial degradation of microcystins (MC), hepatotoxins produced by several cyanobacterial species, has also been broadly documented. However, information regarding MC biodegradation in European water bodies is very limited. In this paper, the occurrence and identification of MC biodegradation products was documented for 21 European lakes and reservoirs, many of which have well-documented cyanobacterial bloom histories. Varying cyanobacterial abundance and taxonomical composition were documented and MC producers were found in all the analysed samples. Planktothrix agardhii was the most common cyanobacterial species and it formed mass occurrences in four lakes. MC biodegradation was observed in 86% of the samples (18 out of 21), and four products of dmMC-LR decomposition were detected by HPLC and LC-MS methods. The two main products were cyclic dmMC-LR with modifications in the Arg-Asp-Leu region; additionally one product was recognized as the tetrapeptide Adda-Glu-Mdha-Ala. The composition of the detected products suggested a new biochemical pathway of MC degradation. The results confirmed the hypothesis that microcystin biodegradation is a common phenomenon in central European waters and that it may occur by a mechanism which is different from the one previously reported. Such a finding implies the necessity to develop a more accurate methodology for screening bacteria with MC biodegradation ability. Furthermore, it warrants new basic and applied studies on the characterization and utilization of new MC-degrading strains and biodegradation pathways.

An integrated strategy for rapid and accurate determination of free and cell-bound microcystins and related peptides in natural blooms by liquid chromatography-electrospray-high resolution mass spectrometry and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectrometry using both positive and negative ionization modes

An integrated high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) strategy has been developed for rapid and accurate determination of free and cell-bound microcystins (MCs) and related peptides in water blooms. The natural samples (water and algae) were filtered for independent analysis of aqueous and sestonic fractions. These fractions were analyzed by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS and ESI-Orbitrap-HCD-MS. MALDI, ESI and the study of fragmentation sequences have been provided crucial structural information. The potential of combined positive and negative ionization modes, full scan and fragmentation acquisition modes (TOF/TOF and HCD) by HRMS and high resolution and accurate mass was investigated in order to allow unequivocal determination of MCs. Besides, a reliable quantitation has been possible by HRMS. This composition helped to decrease the probability of false positives and negatives, as alternative to commonly used LC-ESI-MS/MS methods. The analysis was non-target, therefore covered the possibility to analyze all MC analogs concurrently without any pre-selection of target MC. Furthermore, archived data was subjected to retrospective "post-targeted" analysis and a screening of other potential toxins and related peptides as anabaenopeptins in the samples was done. Finally, the MS protocol and identification tools suggested were applied to the analysis of characteristic water blooms from Spanish reservoirs.