Cyanotoxins in Bloom – Special Issue, Toxins

Dear colleagues,

The open access journal Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651, IF 3.895) is pleased to announce that we have launched a new Special Issue entitled:

“Cyanotoxins in Bloom: Ever-Increasing Occurrence and Global Distribution of Freshwater Cyanotoxins from Planktic and Benthic Cyanobacteria”.

We are serving as Guest Editors for this issue.

We would like to cordially invite you to contribute an article to the Special Issue. For more information on the issue, please visit the Special Issue website at

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/toxins/special_issues/Cyanotoxins_Bloom .

Kind regards,

Guest Editors

Dr. Triantafyllos Kaloudis

Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company – EYDAP SA, Organic Micropollutants Lab – Quality Control Department, Flias 11, 13674 Menidi, Greece

Dr. Anastasia Hiskia

National Center for Scientific Research “DEMOKRITOS”, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Partiarchi Grigoriou E & Neapoleos 27 str., 15341, Agia Paraskevi, Athens, Greece

Dr. Theodoros Triantis

National Center for Scientific Research “DEMOKRITOS”, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Partiarchi Grigoriou E & Neapoleos 27 str., 15341, Agia Paraskevi, Athens, Greece

Peptide patterns of Nostoc-like strains from alkali grassland areas

A paper by Riba et al. in Algal Research reports the chemotyping of terrestrial Nostoc-like isolates from alkali grassland areas by non-targeted peptide analysis.

From the Abstract:

The Nostoc genus is a well-known heterocytous, filamentous cyanobacterium which can be found all over the world. The size of terrestrial and/or freshwater colonies can be microscopic and macroscopic as well. In addition, Nostoc species are one of the most common photosynthetic cyanobacterial partners in symbiotic interactions. Terrestrial cyanobacterial colonies were collected and isolated in this study from various alkali grassland habitats (Great Hungarian Plain). Altogether 133 colonies were isolated from the 65 collected samples. The peptide patterns of the Nostoc-like strains were examined using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS and 41 peptides were identified from 45 isolated Nostoc-like strains; these compounds belonged to 4 different peptide classes. Twelve nostoginin/microginin, 16 anabaenopeptin, 12 banyaside/suomilide variants were identified. 37% of our isolated Nostoc-like strains produced some of the peptide metabolites we tested. These strains showed distinct chemotypes according to their peptide patterns, and can be divided into 4 groups based on their metabolisms. Strains either contained: (1) nostoginins/microginins, (2) anabaenopeptins, (3) anabaenopeptins and banyasides or (4) banyasides as major compounds. Banyasides were present in many of our strains and showed very high intensity in some cases. A number of previously unknown banyaside variants have been identified.

The paper acknowledges CYANOCOST.

Reference:

Milán Riba, Attila Kiss-Szikszai, Sándor Gonda, Péter Parizsa, Balázs Deák, Péter Török, Orsolya Valkó, Tamás Felföldi, Gábor Vasas (2020). Chemotyping of terrestrial Nostoc-like isolates from alkali grassland areas by non-targeted peptide analysis. Algal Research 46, 101798. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2020.101798.

Special Issue “Harmful Cyanobacteria and Their Metabolites” – Applied Sciences

Dear Colleagues,

The ongoing eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems has increased cyanobacterial blooms and also intensified the problems caused by the blooms. Harmful cyanobacteria and their toxic metabolites are known to cause health concerns in humans, animals, and plants, and water-users continue to experience cyanobacterial hazards and nuisance in Europe and other parts of the world as evidenced by some recent events.

The Special Issue “Harmful Cyanobacteria and Their Metabolites” in the journal Applied Sciences has a wide scope and it is intended to address some of the gaps in our knowledge concerning the management of cyanobacterial problems. It deals with, e.g., the occurrence of harmful cyanobacteria, methods for the analysis of noxious cyanometabolites, fate/impact/health effects of cyanotoxins, as well as management measures related to harmful cyanobacteria.

Some examples of work relevant for the Special Issue includes manuscripts on toxic invasive cyanobacteria; occurrence of toxic cyanobacteria in less-studied environments; cyanobacterial adaptations to climate change especially in relation to toxin production; cyanobacterial production of taste and odor compounds; management of harmful cyanobacteria in protected ecosystems; exposure assessment and effects of cyanotoxins in aquatic and terrestrial organisms including humans; novel methods for monitoring and analysis of cyanotoxins; prevention and control measures for the elimination of cyanobacterial problems. Review papers promoting international initiatives for the management of cyanobacterial problems may also be considered if presented with a strong scientific rationale but the potential authors of such papers are encouraged to contact the Guest Editors in advance.

Dr. Jussi Meriluoto
Dr. Nada Tokodi
Guest Editors

Link to the webpage of the Issue.

Download the flyer of the Issue.