Origin of saxitoxin biosynthetic genes in cyanobacteria.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) is a potentially fatal syndrome associated with the consumption of shellfish that have accumulated saxitoxin (STX). STX is produced by microscopic marine dinoflagellate algae. Little is known about the origin and spread of saxitoxin genes in these under-studied eukaryotes. Fortuitously, some freshwater cyanobacteria also produce STX, providing an ideal model for studying its biosynthesis. Here we focus on saxitoxin-producing cyanobacteria and their non-toxic sisters to elucidate the origin of genes involved in the putative STX biosynthetic pathway.

Methodology/principal findings

We generated a draft genome assembly of the saxitoxin-producing (STX+) cyanobacterium Anabaena circinalis ACBU02 and searched for 26 candidate saxitoxin

SUBMITTER: Moustafa A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2684587 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature