Characterization of paralytic shellfish toxins from Lyngbya wollei dominated mats collected from two Florida springs

• Published in: Harmful algae Vol. 16; pp. 98 - 107
• Main Authors: Foss, Amanda J., Phlips, Edward J., Yilmaz, Mete, Chapman, Andrew
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01-04-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: 16S rRNA; Algae; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; biosynthesis; crops; Cyanobacteria; Cyanobacterium; DNA; Florida springs; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; genes; high performance liquid chromatography; Lyngbya; Lyngbya wollei; Mass spectrometry; microscopy; nucleotide sequences; Paralytic shellfish toxin; Plant cytology, morphology, systematics, chorology and evolution; Plants and fungi; ribosomal RNA; Saxitoxin; shellfish; spring; springs (water); sxtA; sxtG; Thallophyta; toxicity; toxins; Ocala National Forest; Florida; United States; North America; America; 16S rRNA; Saxitoxin; sxtA; Lyngbya wollei; Cyanobacteria; Paralytic shellfish toxin; Florida springs; Mass spectrometry; sxtG; Algae; Paralytic shellfish poisoning; Characterization; Aquatic environment; Bacteria; 16SrRNA; Harmful alga
• ISSN: 1568-9883; 1878-1470
• DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2012.02.004

► Lyngbya wollei samples in Florida were collected and characterized via microscopy. ► Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) were extracted and analyzed with LC/MS. ► 16s rRNA and sxt biosynthesis genes were amplified and sequenced. ► Toxins detected include dcGTX2, dcGTX3, dcSTX and LWT 1-6. ► First detailed account of PSTs in Florida.
Lyngbya wollei, a commonly observed cyanobacterium in Florida's spring fed systems, is considered a nuisance organism due to its formation of large benthic and floating mats. Standing crops and mats of Lyngbya from two Florida springs, Silver Glen Springs (Ocala National Forest) and Blue Hole Spring (Ichetucknee Springs State Park), were sampled and characterized via microscopy. A near full-length 16S rRNA gene sequence recovered from genomic DNA preparation of a filament collected from Silver Glen Natural Well was 99% identical to another L. wollei sequence. Paralytic shellfish toxin (PST) biosynthesis genes sxtA and sxtG were also detected in the filament DNA and were 97% and 98% identical in sequence, respectively, to those of L. wollei. PSTs were characterized utilizing High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) coupled with Mass Spectrometry (MS). Analysis of extracted algal material with LC/MS/MS verified that PSTs decarbamoylgonyautoxin 2&3 (dcGTX2&3) and decarbamoylsaxitoxin (dcSTX) were present in L. wollei mats in Florida springs and provided evidence supporting the presence of all L. wollei toxins (LWT 1-6). Levels of quantifiable toxins (dcGTX2&3 & dcSTX) ranged from 19 to 73μg STX-eq (g dry weight)−1. Although L. wollei toxins 1–6 could not be quantified due to a lack of available standards, their presence indicates samples may be higher in toxicity. This is the first detailed study confirming PST presence in L. wollei dominated mats in Florida spring systems.