Polyketides as the conserved basis for diverse marine toxin biosyntheses

在过去三十年中，有害海洋生物毒素事件的频率和全球分布似乎有所增加，人类中毒事件经常发生。该项目将加深对产毒海洋微生物在应对污染和气候变化时的遗传学和生理学的了解，这对这些物种的管理和受污染海产品的风险评估至关重要。这项工作的直接结果构成了一种比目前的毒性测试更容易、更经济和更合乎道德的替代方案。这项研究的进一步好处也将为澳大利亚社区和工业的环境、生物安全、渔业和制药部门带来切实的好处。

Over the past three decades, the frequency and global distribution of harmful marine biotoxin events appears to have increased, and human poisonings have regularly occurred. This project will develop an understanding of the genetics and physiology of toxin-producing marine microorganisms in response to pollution and climatic change that is critical for the management of these species and for the risk assessment of contaminated seafood. The direct outcomes of this work constitute an easier, more economical and ethical alternative to current toxicity testing. Further benefits of this research will also be tangible for the environmental, biosecurity, fisheries and pharmaceutical sectors of Australian community and industry.