Frequent occurrence of 'red tide', a type of harmful algal bloom, has become a threat to the health? and survival of marine animals in the Florida Gulf Coast. The toxic blooms also negatively impact the? health and economy of the human population living in these Gulf Coast shores. A dinoflagellate, Karenia? brevis, is present in very high numbers in the red tide and is responsible for the production and release of? brevetoxins. Brevetoxins are polyketide compounds with a polyether ladder structure and act as potent? neurotoxins. Several studies have shown that bacteria are capable of biodegrading complex algal and? fungal toxins in nature. We hypothesize that bacteria present in the brevetoxin production cultures of K.? brevis and in the K. brevis blooms may have the potential to degrade brevetoxins released by K. brevis.? Our long-term goal is to discover and develop natural biological agents for use as potential mitigation? tools in the management of a broad range of environmental health problems. We plan to test our? hypothesis by pursuing two specific aims: 1) Discover novel marine bacteria, or bacterial consortia,? capable of degrading brevetoxin. 2) Isolate, characterize, and evaluate bacterial metabolites from the? brevetoxin biodegradation process. The marine bacteria with potential brevetoxin biodegradation? capabilities will be isolated by means of an enrichment technique and also by direct isolation. Individual? isolates, as well as microbial consortia, will be tested for the ability to use brevetoxin as their sole carbon? source for growth. The bacterial isolates from the screening showing efficient growth on brevetoxin will? be used for further metabolic studies. The metabolites from the brevetoxin biodegradation process will? be isolated, characterized, and tested using HPLC/PDA/MS, ELISA assay and whole cell sodium ion? channel activity. This approach is innovative because it utilizes the naturally occurring ability of marine? bacteria to detoxify or degrade a complex polyether algal toxin. The proposed research is significant? because it is expected to advance and expand understanding of biochemical transformations of? brevetoxin in the aqueous phase. This is an important and least studied area of brevetoxin research that? has potential applicability in the development of novel strategies for management and monitoring of red? tide events, leading to better health prospects for the people in the Florida Gulf Coast region.
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