ILL=Illuminating Lesson Learned?

Contribution of Lipophilic Secondary Metabolites to the Toxicity of Strains of Freshwater Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms, Identified Using the Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embyo as a Model for Vertebrate Development

“…Furthermore, high incidences of malformations were observed in amphibians, predominantly aquatic, from which various factors associated with these deformations have been proposed (Gardiner et al, 2003). One such proposed factor is the occurrence of teratogenic retinoids produced by cyanobacterial blooms, specifically a Microcystis bloom in Lake Taihu, China (Wu et al, 2012 and2013). Wu et al (2012 and2013) identified high amounts of retinoids, namely retinoic acid, retinal, and 4-oxo-retinoic acid, in the cyanobacterial species found in these lakes.…”

“…One such proposed factor is the occurrence of teratogenic retinoids produced by cyanobacterial blooms, specifically a Microcystis bloom in Lake Taihu, China (Wu et al, 2012 and2013). Wu et al (2012 and2013) identified high amounts of retinoids, namely retinoic acid, retinal, and 4-oxo-retinoic acid, in the cyanobacterial species found in these lakes. A hypothesis can therefore be made that carotenoids can undergo oxidative cleavage to form retinoids which can contribute to the teratogenic effects associated with these blooms of cyanobacteria.…”