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Diversity of microcystin genotypes among populations of the filamentous cyanobacteria Planktothrix rubescens and Planktothrix agardhii
Author(s) -
KURMAYER RAINER,
GUMPENBERGER MARLIES
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
molecular ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.619
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1365-294X
pISSN - 0962-1083
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2006.03044.x
Subject(s) - biology , genotype , amino acid , genetics , cyanobacteria , nonribosomal peptide , alanine , leucine , microcystin , gene , botany , biosynthesis , bacteria
Microcystins (MCs) are toxic heptapeptides that are produced by filamentous cyanobacteria Planktothrix rubescens and Planktothrix agardhii via nonribosomal peptide synthesis. MCs share a common structure cyclo (‐D‐Alanine 1 ‐L‐X 2 ‐ D‐erythro‐ß‐iso‐aspartic acid 3 ‐L‐Z 4 ‐Adda 5 ‐D‐Glutamate 6 ‐ N ‐methyl‐dehydroalanine 7 ) where X 2 and Z 2 are variable L‐amino acids in positions 2, 4 of the molecule. Part of the mcy B gene (1,451 bp) that is involved in the activation of the X 2 amino acid during MC synthesis was sequenced in 49 strains containing different proportions of arginine, homotyrosine, and leucine in position 2 of the MC molecule. Twenty‐five genotypes were found that consisted of eight genotype groups (A‐H, comprising 2‐11 strains) and 17 unique genotypes. P. rubescens and P. agardhii partly consisted of the same mcy B genotypes. The occurrence of numerous putative recombination events that affected all of the genotypes can explain the conflict between taxonomy and mcy B genotype distribution. Genotypes B (homotyrosine and leucine in X 2 ) and C (arginine in X 2 ) showed higher nonsynonymous/synonymous (d N /d S ) substitution ratios implying a relaxation of selective constraints. In contrast, other genotypes (arginine, leucine, homotyrosine) showed lowest d N /d S ratios implying purifying selection. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) revealed the unambiguous identification of mcy B genotypes, which are indicative of variable X 2 amino acids in eight populations of P. rubescens in the Alps (Austria, Germany, and Switzerland). The populations were found to differ significantly in the proportion of specific genotypes and the number of genotypes that occurred over several years. It is concluded that spatial isolation might favour the genetic divergence of microcystin synthesis in Planktothrix spp.