First report of an Anabaena Bory strain containing microcystin-LR in a freshwater body in Africa

Abstract

In South Africa, little is known about the production of microcystin by the genus Anabaena Bory. In April 2012, during a cyanobacterial bloom event in Theewaterskloof Dam, Western Cape province, the plankton was sampled on 10 occasions. The dominant algae belonged to the genus Anabaena, a family of filamentous cyanobacteria known to produce cyanotoxins such as anatoxin-a, harmful to humans and the aquatic foodweb. The specimens isolated lacked the characteristic akinetes and/or heterocysts associated with this genus. Therefore the 16S rRNA gene was Sanger sequenced and a maximum parsimony tree was constructed, confirming its identity as Anabaena ucrainica (Schkorbatow) M. Watanabe. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) confirmed the presence of microcystin-LR in the isolated A. ucrainica field sample, while PCR analysis and sequencing further confirmed the presence of mcy genes in this species. It was speculated from the data that prevailing low water-column temperatures and strong gusty winds may have resulted in the lack of akinete or heterocyst production. The Anabaena strain isolated from Theewaterskloof Dam is the first report of a strain containing microcystin-LR belonging to this genus in a freshwater body in Africa.