The fate of the cyanobacterial toxin β-N-methylamino-l-alanine in freshwater mussels

The cyanobacterial neurotoxin, β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) has been suggested as a causative agent for certain neurodegenerative diseases. This cyanotoxin bioaccumulates in an array of aquatic organisms, in which it occurs as both a free amino acid and in a protein-associated form. This study w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecotoxicology and environmental safety 2014-03, Vol.101, p.51-58
Main Authors: Downing, Simoné, Contardo-Jara, Valeska, Pflugmacher, Stephan, Downing, Timothy Grant
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amino Acids, Diamino - metabolism
Animals
Applied sciences
Bacterial Toxins - metabolism
Biological and medical sciences
Biological and physicochemical phenomena
Bivalvia - chemistry
Bivalvia - metabolism
BMAA
Cyanobacteria
Exact sciences and technology
Fresh Water
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Invertebrates
Marine Toxins - metabolism
Metabolism
Microcystins - metabolism
Mollusca
Mussels
Natural water pollution
Neurotoxin
Pollution
Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism
Water treatment and pollution
β-N-methylamino-l-alanine
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Summary:The cyanobacterial neurotoxin, β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) has been suggested as a causative agent for certain neurodegenerative diseases. This cyanotoxin bioaccumulates in an array of aquatic organisms, in which it occurs as both a free amino acid and in a protein-associated form. This study was intended to investigate the environmental fate of BMAA by examining the metabolism of isotopically labeled BMAA in four freshwater mussel species. All species showed substantial uptake of BMAA from the culture media. Data showed no significant evidence for BMAA catabolism in any of the animals but did suggest metabolism via the reversible covalent modification of BMAA in freshwater mussels, a process that appears to be variable in different species. •We investigated the metabolism of the cyanobacterial neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) by four freshwater mussel species.•BMAA is not catabolized via proteinogenic amino acid pathways.•BMAA appears to be reversibly covalently modified by the mussel species tested.•This study reveals potential underestimations of the risk of environmental BMAA concentrations.
ISSN:0147-6513
1090-2414
DOI:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2013.11.028