Microcystins, BMAA and BMAA isomers in 100-year-old Antarctic cyanobacterial mats collected during Captain R.F. Scott’s Discovery Expedition

Microcystins (MCN), β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) and anatoxin-a were investigated in Antarctic cyanobacterial mats collected from Ross Island and the McMurdo Ice Shelf, East Antarctica during Captain Scott’s ‘Discovery’ National Antarctic Expedition (1901–1904). Ultra-performance liquid chromato...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European Journal of Phycology
Main Authors: Jungblut, A.D., Wilbraham, J., Banack, S.A., Metcalf, J. S., Codd, Geoffrey
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2018
Subjects:
Antarctica
BMAA
benthic
cyanobacteria
fresh water
historic collections
microbial mat
microcystin
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1104
name=Aquatic Science
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1100/1110
name=Plant Science
Antarc*
Antarctic
East Antarctica
Ice Shelf
McMurdo Ice Shelf
Ross Island
Online Access:https://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/en/publications/3df65951-7ade-4b5a-9f82-99bf094f3a0c
https://doi.org/10.1080/09670262.2018.1442587
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85045676780&partnerID=8YFLogxK
Description
Summary:Microcystins (MCN), β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) and anatoxin-a were investigated in Antarctic cyanobacterial mats collected from Ross Island and the McMurdo Ice Shelf, East Antarctica during Captain Scott’s ‘Discovery’ National Antarctic Expedition (1901–1904). Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection (UPLC-PDA) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis were used to quantify the cyanotoxins in seven cyanobacterial mat samples. MCNs were identified in six of the mat samples at concentrations from 0.5 to 16.1 µg g–1 dry weight. BMAA was found in one sample (528 ng g–1 dry weight, total BMAA), as well as two BMAA isomers, 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB) and N-(2-aminoethyl) glycine (AEG) in six samples up to 6.56 and 6.79 μg g–1 dry weight, respectively. No anatoxin-a was detected. The findings confirm that MCNs, BMAA and BMAA isomers are preserved under dry herbarium conditions. The ‘Discovery’ cyanobacterial mat samples represent the oldest polar cyanobacterial samples found to contain cyanotoxins to date and provide new baseline data for cyanotoxins in Antarctic freshwater cyanobacterial mats from prior to human activity in Antarctica, the development of the ozone hole and current levels of climatic change.

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