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Plant Cyanotoxins: Molecular Methods and Current Applications

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Plant Toxins

Part of the book series: Toxinology ((TOXI))

Abstract

Though not being considered plants per se, cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microorganisms commonly inhabiting several aquatic systems worldwide. Proliferation of cyanobacteria on the water surface leads to the production of secondary metabolites with a high level of toxicity, known as cyanotoxins. Due to their impacts to humans, animals, and plants, these compounds have been extensively studied and are classified according to their mode of action in hepatotoxins (microcystins and nodularins), cytotoxins (cylindrospermopsin), and neurotoxins (anatoxins and saxitoxins). The so-called molecular methods are nowadays the most extensively applied methods in detecting, characterizing, and quantifying both cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in any given sample. In this review are described the molecular methods currently used in cyanotoxin detection including PCR and non-PCR based techniques. In vitro studies, analytical methods, and immunoassays are the most used methods in the screening of these toxins, but recently proteomic studies have been proposed to study these cyanotoxins when affecting plants. The main impact of these molecules in plants includes the areas of agriculture, environment, health, and economy. Microcystins and cylindrospermopsin were shown to have negative effects in plants, both at the aquatic and terrestrial level. Being involved in the food chain, plants constitute an important nutrition and oxygen source, which requires a constant monitoring and attention in relation to cyanotoxins contaminations.

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Acknowledgments

AA was partially supported by the Strategic Funding UID/Multi/04423/2013 through national funds provided by FCT and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the framework of the program PT2020.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4050-208, Porto, Portugal

    Cristiana Moreira, Ana Matos, Rita Mendes & Agostinho Antunes

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal

    Agostinho Antunes

Authors
  1. Cristiana Moreira
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  2. Ana Matos
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  3. Rita Mendes
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  4. Agostinho Antunes
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Cristiana Moreira , Ana Matos , Rita Mendes or Agostinho Antunes .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto do Cérebro, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Célia Regina Carlini

  2. Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Su, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun

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Moreira, C., Matos, A., Mendes, R., Antunes, A. (2017). Plant Cyanotoxins: Molecular Methods and Current Applications. In: Carlini, C., Ligabue-Braun, R. (eds) Plant Toxins. Toxinology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6464-4_18

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