TY - JOUR A1 - Voss, Björn A1 - Bolhuis, Henk A1 - Fewer, David P. A1 - Kopf, Matthias A1 - Möke, Fred A1 - Haas, Fabian A1 - El-Shehawy, Rehab A1 - Hayes, Paul A1 - Bergman, Birgitta A1 - Sivonen, Kaarina A1 - Dittmann-Thünemann, Elke A1 - Scanlan, Dave J. A1 - Hagemann, Martin A1 - Stal, Lucas J. A1 - Hess, Wolfgang R. T1 - Insights into the physiology and ecology of the brackish-water-adapted cyanobacterium nodularia spumigena CCY9414 based on a genome-transcriptome analysis JF - PLoS one N2 - Nodularia spumigena is a filamentous diazotrophic cyanobacterium that dominates the annual late summer cyanobacterial blooms in the Baltic Sea. But N. spumigena also is common in brackish water bodies worldwide, suggesting special adaptation allowing it to thrive at moderate salinities. A draft genome analysis of N. spumigena sp. CCY9414 yielded a single scaffold of 5,462,271 nucleotides in length on which genes for 5,294 proteins were annotated. A subsequent strand-specific transcriptome analysis identified more than 6,000 putative transcriptional start sites (TSS). Orphan TSSs located in intergenic regions led us to predict 764 non-coding RNAs, among them 70 copies of a possible retrotransposon and several potential RNA regulators, some of which are also present in other N2-fixing cyanobacteria. Approximately 4% of the total coding capacity is devoted to the production of secondary metabolites, among them the potent hepatotoxin nodularin, the linear spumigin and the cyclic nodulapeptin. The transcriptional complexity associated with genes involved in nitrogen fixation and heterocyst differentiation is considerably smaller compared to other Nostocales. In contrast, sophisticated systems exist for the uptake and assimilation of iron and phosphorus compounds, for the synthesis of compatible solutes, and for the formation of gas vesicles, required for the active control of buoyancy. Hence, the annotation and interpretation of this sequence provides a vast array of clues into the genomic underpinnings of the physiology of this cyanobacterium and indicates in particular a competitive edge of N. spumigena in nutrient-limited brackish water ecosystems. Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0060224 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 8 IS - 3 PB - PLoS CY - San Fransisco ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Meissner, Sven A1 - Fastner, Jutta A1 - Dittmann-Thünemann, Elke T1 - Microcystin production revisited conjugate formation makes a major contribution JF - Environmental microbiology N2 - The impact of environmental stimuli on the production of the widespread cyanobacterial hepatotoxin microcystin (MC) is under debate. Whereas transcriptional studies of the biosynthetic genes suggest a clear influence of light conditions on toxin production the data for the metabolite itself are inconsistent and highly strain-specific. Here, we have reassessed the MC content by using two immunological detection techniques that allow a parallel quantification of MC in the methanolic extracts and the residual pellet fraction that contains high molecular weight proteins. Our results show a significant proportion of MC in the protein bound fraction in strains of Microcystis and Planktothrix and of the related toxin nodularin (NOD) in Nodularia. Moreover, we could show a very strong increase of MC after high light illumination in the protein fraction contributing to a significant overall increase in MC production under these conditions that is not seen in extracts analysed by LC-MS and ELISA. The fact that a considerable portion of MC is neglected with current analysis techniques was also confirmed for selected field samples. Immunofluorescence studies suggest strain-specific differences in the amount of MC conjugate formation. Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.12072 SN - 1462-2912 VL - 15 IS - 6 SP - 1810 EP - 1820 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Neilan, Brett A. A1 - Pearson, Leanne A. A1 - Münchhoff, Julia A1 - Moffitt, Michelle C. A1 - Dittmann-Thünemann, Elke T1 - Environmental conditions that influence toxin biosynthesis in cyanobacteria JF - Environmental microbiology N2 - Over the past 15 years, the genetic basis for production of many cyanobacterial bioactive compounds has been described. This knowledge has enabled investigations into the environmental factors that regulate the production of these toxins at the molecular level. Such molecular or systems level studies are also likely to reveal the physiological role of the toxin and contribute to effective water resource management. This review focuses on the environmental regulation of some of the most relevant cyanotoxins, namely the microcystins, nodularin, cylindrospermopsin, saxitoxins, anatoxins and jamaicamides. Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2012.02729.x SN - 1462-2912 VL - 15 IS - 5 SP - 1239 EP - 1253 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dittmann-Thünemann, Elke A1 - Fewer, David P. A1 - Neilan, Brett A. T1 - Cyanobacterial toxins biosynthetic routes and evolutionary roots JF - FEMS microbiology reviews N2 - Cyanobacteria produce an unparalleled variety of toxins that can cause severe health problems or even death in humans, and wild or domestic animals. In the last decade, biosynthetic pathways have been assigned to the majority of the known toxin families. This review summarizes current knowledge about the enzymatic basis for the production of the hepatotoxins microcystin and nodularin, the cytotoxin cylindrospermopsin, the neurotoxins anatoxin and saxitoxin, and the dermatotoxin lyngbyatoxin. Elucidation of the biosynthetic pathways of the toxins has paved the way for the development of molecular techniques for the detection and quantification of the producing cyanobacteria in different environments. Phylogenetic analyses of related clusters from a large number of strains has also allowed for the reconstruction of the evolutionary scenarios that have led to the emergence, diversification, and loss of such gene clusters in different strains and genera of cyanobacteria. Advances in the understanding of toxin biosynthesis and evolution have provided new methods for drinking-water quality control and may inspire the development of techniques for the management of bloom formation in the future. KW - microcystin KW - cylindrospermopsin KW - anatoxin KW - saxitoxin KW - cyanobacteria Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6976.2012.12000.x SN - 0168-6445 SN - 1574-6976 VL - 37 IS - 1 SP - 23 EP - 43 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Arnison, Paul G. A1 - Bibb, Mervyn J. A1 - Bierbaum, Gabriele A1 - Bowers, Albert A. A1 - Bugni, Tim S. A1 - Bulaj, Grzegorz A1 - Camarero, Julio A. A1 - Campopiano, Dominic J. A1 - Challis, Gregory L. A1 - Clardy, Jon A1 - Cotter, Paul D. A1 - Craik, David J. A1 - Dawson, Michael A1 - Dittmann-Thünemann, Elke A1 - Donadio, Stefano A1 - Dorrestein, Pieter C. A1 - Entian, Karl-Dieter A1 - Fischbach, Michael A. A1 - Garavelli, John S. A1 - Goeransson, Ulf A1 - Gruber, Christian W. A1 - Haft, Daniel H. A1 - Hemscheidt, Thomas K. A1 - Hertweck, Christian A1 - Hill, Colin A1 - Horswill, Alexander R. A1 - Jaspars, Marcel A1 - Kelly, Wendy L. A1 - Klinman, Judith P. A1 - Kuipers, Oscar P. A1 - Link, A. James A1 - Liu, Wen A1 - Marahiel, Mohamed A. A1 - Mitchell, Douglas A. A1 - Moll, Gert N. A1 - Moore, Bradley S. A1 - Mueller, Rolf A1 - Nair, Satish K. A1 - Nes, Ingolf F. A1 - Norris, Gillian E. A1 - Olivera, Baldomero M. A1 - Onaka, Hiroyasu A1 - Patchett, Mark L. A1 - Piel, Jörn A1 - Reaney, Martin J. T. A1 - Rebuffat, Sylvie A1 - Ross, R. Paul A1 - Sahl, Hans-Georg A1 - Schmidt, Eric W. A1 - Selsted, Michael E. A1 - Severinov, Konstantin A1 - Shen, Ben A1 - Sivonen, Kaarina A1 - Smith, Leif A1 - Stein, Torsten A1 - Suessmuth, Roderich D. A1 - Tagg, John R. A1 - Tang, Gong-Li A1 - Truman, Andrew W. A1 - Vederas, John C. A1 - Walsh, Christopher T. A1 - Walton, Jonathan D. A1 - Wenzel, Silke C. A1 - Willey, Joanne M. A1 - van der Donk, Wilfred A. T1 - Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide natural products overview and recommendations for a universal nomenclature JF - Natural product reports : a journal of current developments in bio-organic chemistry N2 - This review presents recommended nomenclature for the biosynthesis of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs), a rapidly growing class of natural products. The current knowledge regarding the biosynthesis of the >20 distinct compound classes is also reviewed, and commonalities are discussed. Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c2np20085f SN - 0265-0568 VL - 30 IS - 1 SP - 108 EP - 160 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge ER -