Multiplex PCR for the detection of toxigenic cyanobacteria in dietary supplements produced for human consumption

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2007

Authors

Martin L Saker (Author) Other; Martin Welker (Author) Other; Vitor M Vasconcelos (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

Vol. 73

Pages: 1136-1142

ISSN: 0175-7598

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 48 Citations

Scopus - 53 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Biological sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-004-CHR

DOI: 10.1007/s00253-006-0565-5

Abstract (EN): The production of food supplements containing cyanobacteria is a growing worldwide industry. While there have been several reports of health benefits that can be gained from the consumption of these supplements, there have also been a growing number of studies showing the presence of toxins some of which (for example microcystins) are known to affect human health. In this paper, we report a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique that can be used to identify microcystin contamination in dietary supplements produced for human consumption. This method involves a PCR reaction containing three primer pairs, the first of which is used to amplify a 220-bp fragment of 16s rDNA specific to Microcystis, the most common microcystin-producing cyanobacterium. The second primer pair is used to amplify a 300-bp fragment of the mcyA gene, linked to microcystin biosynthesis in Anabaena, Microcystis, and Planktothrix. A third primer pair, used as a positive control, results in the amplification of a 650-bp fragment from the phycocyanin operon common to all cyanobacteria. This technique was found to be useful for detecting the presence of toxigenic Microcystis in all dietary supplements produced from the nontoxic cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon flos-aquae.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7