Regulation of toxin production in HABs

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Harmful algal blooms are large growths of undesired or toxic algal species. These occur in both coastal zones and lakes. Globally, HABs have been on the increase is correlation with the increase demands for the aquatic ecological services - diluting our wastes, consuming our nutrients, etc. It is commonly stated that eutrophication leads to HABs but this is misleading. There are aspects of adding nutrients that make the blooms more or less toxic or that select for more toxic species over less toxic species. (1) In the first project we will focus on marine species that adversely affect out coastal waters - in particular, the aquaculture facilities. Over one half of the world's fish production for human consumption currently comes from aquaculture while wild fisheries' yields are either stable or declining. Recurring threats from the two studies genera (Heterosigma and Heterocapsa) have caused extensive damage to wild and net-penned fish worldwide over the past two decades. (2) Our second study will elucidate the importance of toxin production to the genus Pseudo-nitzschia. Blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia can have enormous impacts on human health, cause economic losses to aquaculture industries, and substantially affect natural coastal ecosystems. Understanding the cellular role for DA lies at the crux of achieving some predictive insights to the environmental conditions regulating when and where Pseudo-nitzschia outbreaks become toxic. (3) Our final study, considers the environmental regulation of cyanotoxins - toxins from cyanobacterial in lakes. Cyanobacteria, photosynthetic prokaryotes, are prominent in stable, warm, eutrophic (nutrient rich) freshwater resources. When there are excess nutrients, then the biomass of the cyanobacterial increase. But we propose that it is the trace metal composition of the water that stimulates several key toxins - microcystin, nodularin, and BBMA. All of these toxins create serious human health issues.