Toxins of a Blue-Green Alga: Similarity to Saxitoxin

Abstract

Toxins were isolated from the freshwater blue-green alga Aphanizomenon flos-aquae. The toxic fractions were characterized by paper and thin-layer chromatography, isolation characteristics, infrared spectra, physiological activity, and reactivity with specific color reagents. The toxic fractions appear to be similar, if not identical, to saxitoxin (paralytic shellfish toxin), which is produced by the marine dinoflagellate Gonyaulax catenella.

Two toxins from a poisonous sample of mussels Mytilus edulis

“…It seems that saxitoxin is the only poisonous metabolite produced by G. catenella, and as the minor toxin has been indistinguishable from saxitoxin, it is reasonable to assume that the major toxin may be chemically related to saxitoxin. One cannot yet say whether it may be related to saxitoxin-like materials that have been extracted from other organisms (Casselman, Greenhalgh, Brownell & Bannard, 1960;Jackim & Gentile, 1968).…”

Phycotoxins from dinoflagellates

“…Some fresh water blue-green algae such as Aphanizomenon flos-aguae produce a poison with biological properties similar to saxitoxin (26).…”

Water pollution control

“…Planktothrix formosa Homoanatoxin-a Norway Skulberg et al, 1992 Anabaena flos-aquae Anatoxin-a(S) Canada A. lemmermannii Anatoxin-a(S) Denmark Henriksen et al, 1997;Onodera et al, 1997a Anabaena circinalis Saxitoxins Australia Humpage et al, 1994; Aphanizomenon flos-aquae Saxitoxins USA Jackim and Gentile, 1968;Ikawa et al, 1982; Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii Brazil Lagos et al, 1997 Lyngbya wollei Saxitoxins USA Carmichael et al, 1997;Onodera et al, 1997b The toxicity of the species listed in the table is in most cases verified by laboratory studies with isolated strains. A few bloom samples are also included from the new areas of occurrence where toxicity of the species is not verified by strain isolation but the toxins are determined in the bloom samples.…”