Evaluating How Nutrient Loads and Quorum Sensing Affect Cyanobacterial Toxin Production
The rapid proliferation of cyanobacteria forms cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) that produce toxic secondary metabolites called cyanotoxins. Cyanotoxins such as β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) pose life-threatening risks like neurodegeneration in humans and other animals. Many different environmental factors and cyanobacterial stress responses are known to affect cHAB toxicity, but the growth conditions and biosynthetic pathways that drive BMAA production are still unknown. A particular area of interest is the intercellular communication system known as quorum sensing (QS), whereby cyanobacteria can send signals to each other to coordinate collective behavior, including toxin production.
This project aims to investigate (1) the environmental conditions that affect cyanobacterial BMAA production, (2) the taxonomic variety of BMAA-producing cyanobacteria species, and (3) the effect of QS on cyanobacterial BMAA production, especially in nutrient-stressed conditions. This study will advance knowledge of the cHAB growth conditions, species variety, and biosynthesis pathways that promote toxicity and help design mitigation strategies. This work is being conducted as part of a larger collaborative effort with the Albemarle Regional Health Services and Chowan Edenton Environmental Group. Additionally, we are collaborating with Duke Environmental Engineering faculty who are building machine learning models that use easily measurable environmental data to predict cHAB events. This will make site-specific cHAB predictions and surveillance widely accessible.
Researchers
Lan Nguyen
Funding
Duke Office of Faculty Advancement