Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins are a group of naturally occurring neurotoxic alkaloids produced among several genera of primarily freshwater cyanobacteria and marine dinoflagellates. Although saxitoxin (STX) and analogs are all potent Na(+) channel blockers in vertebrate cells, the functional role of these compounds for the toxigenic microorganisms is unknown. Based upon the known i...

Cyanobacterial blooms represent one of the most conspicuous and widespread waterborne microbial hazards to human and ecosystem health. Investigation of a cyanobacterial bloom in a shallow brackish water recreational cable ski lake in south-eastern Queensland, Australia revealed the dominance of the toxigenic species Nodularia spumigena. The bloom spanned three months, during which time cell con...

During the systematic investigation on cyanobacterial diversity of eastern Himalaya authors recorded two unique species Petalonema M.J.Berkeley ex Wolle—Petalonema alatum (Borzì Bornet & Flahault) Wolle and velutinum Migula—from Alipurduar Kalimpong. The former was in calcareous situations forming thick mats while latter subaerophytic condition wet rocks. is first record for a India.

Cyanobacterial blooms in aquatic environments have impacted ecosystem health, altered food webs and contributed to substantial regional economic losses. The relative impacts of climate change, eutrophication other environmental stressors on the formation cyanobacterial remain unclear as a consequence lack long-term data. analysis lake sediment archives can help address such questions. abundance...

Cyanobacterial mats are often a major biological component of extreme aquatic ecosystems, and in polar lakes and streams they may account for the dominant fraction of total ecosystem biomass and productivity. In this study we examined the vertical structure and physiology of Arctic microbial mats relative to the question of how these communities may respond to ongoing environmental change. The ...

The search for biomarkers of present or past life is one of the major challenges for in situ planetary exploration. Multiple constraints limit the performance and sensitivity of remote in situ instrumentation. In addition, the structure, chemical, and mineralogical composition of the sample may complicate the analysis and interpretation of the results. The aim of this work is to highlight the m...

Cyanobacteria contain various types of bioactive compounds, which could cause adverse effects on organisms. They are released into surface waters during cyanobacterial blooms, but there is little information on their potential relevance for effects in vivo. In this study presence of bioactive compounds was characterized in cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa (Chroococcales), Planktothrix agard...