Anabaena flos-aquae

Abstract

Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are the most primitive prokaryotic photosynthetic organisms, that have survived and flourished on the planet for more than 3 billion years and produced the oxygen that enabled aerobic metabolism. Anabaena is a genus of filamentous cyanobacteria, known for its nitrogen fixing abilities and is one of cyanobacterial genera that produce toxins. Because of plasmid DNA, the nontoxic strain of Anabaena flos-aquae, transformed into a toxic strain that producing neuro-toxins. The major toxins those were produced by this species are anatoxin-a, homoanatoxin-a, and anatoxin-a(s). Presence of these toxins in the source of fresh water makes water toxic and every year so many reports on death of animals were documented. Several studies have been done over this toxic cyanobacterium and showed that under controlled environment this species is very useful for human being. However, presence of this alga in the water sources makes environment toxic. Several analytical methods were reported for the detection of these toxins. This review is be focused on the detailed literature survey on fresh water cyanobacterium, Anabaena flos-aquae, with respect to its importance and cure.

KEY WORDS:

• Anabaena flos-aquae
• analytical methods
• bioactive compounds
• cyanobacteria
• enzymes
• gas vesicle
• importance and cure
• metals
• nutrition
• organic compounds

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author is grateful to Dr. Paramvir Singh Ahuja, Director, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), for providing necessary facilities and Dr. Bikram Singh, Head NPP Division, CSIR-IHBT, for useful advices during the preparation of the manuscript. IHBT Publication number: 2149.