Molecular detection of genes responsible for cyanobacterial toxin production in the genera Microcystis, Nodularia, and Cylindrospermopsis.

Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous in the freshwater environment. Their success as a group in a wide range of aquatic habitats has been attributed to their unique physiological characteristics and their high adaptive ability over a wide range of environmental conditions. They are capable of reaching very high biomass levels, often dominating the other aquatic biota, and under some circumstances can accumulate near the water surface, producing scums. Such cyanobacterial "blooms" are of particular concern in reservoirs used to supply potable water. Dense aggregations of cyanobacterial cells may block water filters, and many species produce compounds that affect the taste and odor of water supplies. Of greatest concern, however, is the potential of many bloom-forming cyanobacteria to produce a wide range of toxic substances. These natural compounds, known as cyanotoxins, are chemically diverse and are usually either neuro- or hepatotoxic in pathology.