Journal article
First report of anatoxin-a producing cyanobacteria in Australia illustrates need to regularly up-date monitoring strategies in a shifting global distribution
Nijoy John, Louise Baker, Brendan RE Ansell, Steven Newham, Nicholas D Crosbie, Aaron R Jex
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS | NATURE PORTFOLIO | Published : 2019
Abstract
Routine monitoring of toxic cyanobacteria depends on up-to-date epidemiological information about their distribution. In Australia, anatoxin producing cyanobacteria are not regularly tested for and thought to be rare if not absent from the continent. Our study investigated the presence of anatoxin-a (ATX-a) producing cyanobacteria in surface water samples (n = 226 from 67 sampling locations) collected from 2010 to 2017 across the state of Victoria, Australia. We (1) detected the presence and distribution of anaC (anatoxin-a synthetase C) gene sequences previously associated with various cyanobacteria, including Cuspidothrix issatschenkoi, Aphanizomenon sp., D. circinale, Anabaena sp., and Os..
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Awarded by Melbourne Water and Water Research Australia
Awarded by Australian National Health and Medical Research foundation Career Development Fellowship program
Funding Acknowledgements
N. John's PhD scholarship was funded by Melbourne Water and Water Research Australia (WaterRA Project 4509-14). We gratefully acknowledge Barwon Water, Southern Rural Water, South Gippsland Water, Goulburn Murray Water, Goulburn Valley Water, Coliban Water, North East Water and Australian Laboratory Services (ALS) for sample provisions. We also acknowledge Dr. Susanna A. Wood (Cawthorn Institute, New Zealand) and Dr. Barbara C. Sendall (Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Australia) for providing positive control material. A. R. Jex acknowledges the Australian National Health and Medical Research foundation Career Development Fellowship program (APP1126395). We also acknolwedge funding from the Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support and Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council Independent Research Institute Infrastructure Support Scheme.