Harmful Cyanobacterial Material Production in the North Han River (South Korea): Genetic Potential and Temperature-Dependent Properties

Keonhee Kim, Chaehong Park, Youngdae Yoon and Soon-Jin Hwang
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Keonhee Kim: Department of Environmental Health Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
Chaehong Park: Department of Environmental Health Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
Youngdae Yoon: Department of Environmental Health Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
Soon-Jin Hwang: Department of Environmental Health Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: Cyanobacteria synthesize various harmful materials, including off-flavor substances and toxins, that are regarded as potential socio-economic and environmental hazards in freshwater systems, however, their production is still not well understood. In this study, we investigated the potential and properties of harmful materials produced by cyanobacteria, depending on temperature, and undertook a phylogenetic analysis of cyanobacteria present in the North Han River (South Korea). Production potentials were evaluated using gene-specific probes, and the harmful material production properties of strains showing positive potentials were further characterized at different temperatures in the range 15 to 30 °C. We identified six cyanobacterial strains based on 16S rDNA analysis: two morphological types (coiled and straight type) of Dolichospermum circinale, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, Oscillatoria limosa, Planktothricoides raciborskii, Pseudanabaena mucicola , and Microcystis aeruginosa . We confirmed that cyanobacterial strains showing harmful material production potential produced the corresponding harmful material, and their production properties varied with temperature. Total harmful material production was maximal at 20~25 °C, a temperature range optimal for cell growth. However, harmful material productivity was highest at 15 °C. These results indicate that the expression of genes related to synthesis of harmful materials can vary depending on environmental conditions, resulting in variable harmful material production, even within the same cyanobacterial strains.

Keywords: cyanobacteria; harmful material; geosmin; 2-MIB; microcystin; biosynthesis gene; production potential; environmental hazard (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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