List of issues > Series «Biology. Ecology». 2016. Vol. 17
Microcystin-Producing Cyanobacteria in the Benthos of Lake Baikal
Author(s)
M. A. Ivacheva, I. V. Tikhonova, E. G. Sorokovikova, A. Yu. Krasnopeev, S. A. Potapov, B. Choydash, O. I. Belykh
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are one of main reasons of decrease of water quality in eutrophic, well-warmed freshwater bodies. Recently, bulk data on mass development of toxin-producing species in the plankton are collected from major part of lakes worldwide. It is found out recently that benthic cyanobacteria are main primary producers in polar water bodies, despite rigorous conditions and low water temperature, synthesize as well polypeptide and polyketide toxins - saxitoxin and microcystin. Mass development of cyanobacteria on Lake Baikal bottom resulted in change of the structure on benthic community and in the mortality of endemic Baikalian sponge. Using molecular biology markers for the gene of microcystin synthesis, we found out in oligotrophic Lake Baikal benthos cyanobacteria able to produce hepatotoxic peptides.
Keywords
Lake Baikal, benthic cyanobacteria, microcystins, mcyE gene, PCR
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