Interactions between Scenedesmus and Microcystis may be used to clarify the role of secondary metabolites. Issue 1 (24th July 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Harel, Moshe; Weiss, Gad; Lieman‐Hurwitz, Judy; Gun, Jenny; Lev, Ovadia; Lebendiker, Mario; Temper, Violeta; Block, Colin; Sukenik, Assaf; Zohary, Tamar; Braun, Sergei; Carmeli, Shmuel; Kaplan, Aaron
• Is Part Of: Environmental microbiology reports. Volume 5:Issue 1(2013:Feb.)
• Page Start: 97
• Page End: 104
• Publication Date: 2012-07-24
• Subjects: Microbial ecology -- Periodicals; Environmental Microbiology -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 579.17
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1758-2229.2012.00366.x
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1758-2229

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Summary</title> <p> <italic>Microcystis</italic> sp. are major players in the global intensification of toxic cyanobacterial blooms endangering the water quality of freshwater bodies. A novel green alga identified as <italic>Scenedesmus</italic> sp., designated strain huji (hereafter <italic>S. huji</italic>), was isolated from water samples containing toxic <italic>Microcystis</italic> sp. withdrawn from Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), Israel, suggesting that it produces secondary metabolites that help it withstand the <italic>Microcystis</italic> toxins. Competition experiments suggested complex interaction between these two organisms and use of spent cell‐free media from <italic>S. huji</italic> caused severe cell lysis in various <italic>Microcystis</italic> strains. We have isolated active metabolites from the spent <italic>S. huji</italic> medium. Application of the concentrated allelochemicals interfered with the functionality and perhaps the integrity of the <italic>Microcystis</italic> cell membrane, as indicated by the rapid effect on the photosynthetic variable fluorescence and leakage of phycobilins and ions. Although some activity was observed towards various bacteria, it did not alter growth of eukaryotic organisms such as the green alga <italic>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</italic>.</p> </abstract>