Cyanotoxins in Epipelic and Epiphytic Cyanobacteria from a Hypersaline Coastal Lagoon, an Environmental Hazard in Climate Warming Times and a Potential Source of New Compounds.

Cyanobacterial biodiversity and potential toxicity in coastal lagoons have barely been studied despite these transitional water systems being very important in conservation and for the preservation of economic resources. Most of these transitional systems have been affected by eutrophication, and climate change will severely affect them by promoting cyanobacteria growth, especially in Mediterranean areas. This study aims to characterize the diversity of epipelic and epiphytic cyanobacteria species in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon and their potential for toxins production (microcystins and saxitoxins).

Cyanobacteria and Macroinvertebrate Relationships in Freshwater Benthic Communities beyond Cytotoxicity.

Cyanobacteria are harmful algae that are monitored worldwide to prevent the effects of the toxins that they can produce. Most research efforts have focused on direct or indirect effects on human populations, with a view to gain easy accurate detection and quantification methods, mainly in planktic communities, but with increasing interest shown in benthos. However, cyanobacteria have played a fundamental role from the very beginning in both the development of our planet's biodiversity and the construction of new habitats.

Identification of Marine Biotechnology Value Chains with High Potential in the Northern Mediterranean Region.

Marine (blue) biotechnology is an emerging field enabling the valorization of new products and processes with massive potential for innovation and economic growth. In the Mediterranean region, this innovation potential is not exploited as well as in other European regions due to a lack of a clear identification of the different value chains and the high fragmentation of business innovation initiatives. As a result, several opportunities to create an innovative society are being missed.

Autofluorescence Imaging to Evaluate Red Algae Physiology.

Red algae (Rhodophyta) contain phycobiliproteins and colonize habitats with dim light, however some (e.g., some Chroothece species) can also develop in full sunshine.

The Green Microalga var. (Scenedesmaceae, Chlorophyta) Isolated from an Algerian Hot Spring as a Potential Source of Fatty Acids.

Screening microalgae from extreme environments, including hot springs, is an important research topic that has lately emerged. A thermophilic green alga was isolated from a north-eastern Algerian hot spring at a temperature of 63 °C, and its fatty acid (FA) profile was explored. The strain was cultivated in BBM medium at 35 °C in a 16:8 h light/dark cycle and 75 μM photons m s.

Confocal Microscopy in Ecophysiological Studies of Algae: A Door to Understanding Autofluorescence in Red Algae.

Alga in the genus Chroothece have been reported mostly from aquatic or subaerial continental environments, where they grow in extreme conditions. The strain Chroothece mobilis MAESE 20.29 was exposed to different light intensities, red and green monochromatic light, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, high nitrogen concentrations, and high salinity to assess the effect of those environmental parameters on its growth.

The 6th Iberian and 2nd Ibero-American Cyanotoxin Congress CIC2019.

According to genomic data, toxin cyanobacteria production is likely as old as the group itself [...

Are Cyanotoxins the Only Toxic Compound Potentially Present in Microalgae Supplements? Results from a Study of Ecological and Non-Ecological Products.

Food supplements with microalgae are becoming increasingly abundant and can be easily found anywhere. The most popular products are based on cyanophytes, such as , and , or on chlorophytes, such as or Although they are all advertised as being very beneficial for health, these products might be harmful because they may contain cyanotoxins and other contaminants, and no information on production methods or strain origins is usually provided. While legislation on the presence of microcystins in waters for different uses is clear, toxicological analyses are not compulsory for food supplements, nor for analyzing anatoxins.

Are We Underestimating Benthic Cyanotoxins? Extensive Sampling Results from Spain.

Microcystins (MCs) are potent hepatotoxins, and their presence in water bodies poses a threat to wildlife and human populations. Most of the available information refers to plankton, and much less is known about microcystins in other habitats. To broaden our understanding of the presence and environmental distribution of this group of toxins, we conducted extensive sampling throughout Spain, under a range of conditions and in distinct aquatic and terrestrial habitats.

Microcystins and cyanophyte extracts inhibit or promote the photosynthesis of fluvial algae. Ecological and management implications.

The ecological influence of cyanotoxins on aquatic biota remains unclear despite the numerous published references on toxicological and sanitary problems related with cyanophyte proliferation. The effects of microcystins and cyanophyte extracts on the photosynthesis of the algae that belong to two taxonomic groups, Rhodophyta and Bacillariophyta, were studied in an attempt to elucidate their role in the intraspecific competence and physiognomy of fluvial communities. The data showed that both cyanobacteria extracts and pure microcystin-LR affected the photosynthetic activity of all the tested organisms, diatoms (Fistulifera pelliculosa, Gomphonema parvulum, Nitzschia frustulum and Stephanodiscus minutulus) and red algae (Chroothece richteriana) at environmentally relevant concentrations.

Decoding cyanobacterial phylogeny and molecular evolution using an evonumeric approach.

Forty-one heterocystous cyanobacteria strains representing 12 cyanobacterial genera collected from all across India were assessed in phylogenetic and evolutionary perspectives. The structural gene 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and the functional genes nifD and psbA were selected as molecular chronometers in this study. The phylogenetic analyses demonstrated the monophyly of heterocystous cyanobacteria with significant intermixing, along with establishing the polyphyly of Stigonematales, strongly supporting the need for re-amendments in cyanobacterial taxonomy and systematics.

The freshwater alga Chroothece richteriana (Rhodophyta) as a potential source of lipids.

During an ecological study of Chroothece (Rhodophyta) in a small river in a semi-arid region of south-east Spain it became clear that most of these cells had a high lipid content. This suggested potential uses in biotechnology, which has been investigated further. The colonies, which occur in full sunlight, are typically orange-brown.

Environmental gradients and macroalgae in Mediterranean marshes: the case of Pego-Oliva marsh (East Iberian Peninsula).

Although Mediterranean marshes have historically suffered high anthropogenic pressure, they have maintained their remarkable biodiversity. They are severely threatened but remain comparatively unexplored systems from the algological point of view. For example, most of the indexes proposed for monitoring ecological quality are based on diatoms and very few have explored the use of macroalgae.

Effects of living cyanobacteria, cyanobacterial extracts and pure microcystins on growth and ultrastructure of microalgae and bacteria.

In this study, we demonstrate the inhibitory effect of both cyanobacterial extracts and pure microcystins on the growth of microalgae and bacteria. This inhibitory effect was more persistent in pure microcystins than in the extracts, which lost their properties eight days after exposure. In addition, the effects on bacteria were longerlasting than those on microalgae.

Intracellular and dissolved microcystin in reservoirs of the river Segura basin, Murcia, SE Spain.

The seasonal sampling of irrigation or drinking water reservoirs in the province of Murcia (SE Spain) in the hydrological year 2000-2001 revealed the presence of intracellular microcystins in the benthic cyanophyte communities throughout the year. The total microcystin levels, as measured by HPLC, were relatively high but lower than others published for planktonic communities of the European continent or certain African countries. The diversity of forms was also very high and comparable to those found for other European countries.