Monitoring changing toxigenicity of a XXXX by molecular methods.

@entity1 @entity137 @entity19 @entity12219 @entity409 @entity16589 @entity34138 @entity10673
Cyanobacterial blooms are potential health hazards in water supply reservoirs. This paper reports analyses of a @entity10673 by use of PCR-based methods for direct detection and identification of strains present and determination of their toxigenicity. Serial samples from Malpas Dam, in the New England region of Australia, were analyzed during a prolonged, mixed @entity10673 in the summer of 2000 to 2001. Malpas Dam has been shown in the past to have toxic blooms of @entity16589 that have caused @entity409 in the @entity1 population drinking from this water supply reservoir. Cyanobacterial genera were detected at low cell numbers by PCR amplification of the phycocyanin intergenic spacer region between the genes for the beta and alpha subunits. The potential for @entity12219 production was determined by PCR amplification of a gene in the @entity12219 biosynthesis pathway. The potential for @entity34138 production was determined by PCR amplification of a region of the 16S rRNA gene of Anabaena circinalis strains. @entity137 of samples was established by @entity19 bioassay and high-pressure liquid chromatography. We show that bloom components can be identified and monitored for toxigenicity by PCR more effectively than by other methods such as microscopy and @entity19 bioassay. We also show that toxigenic strains of Anabaena and @entity16589 spp. occur at this site and that, over the course of the bloom, the cell types and @entity137 changed. This work demonstrates that PCR detection of potential @entity137 can enhance the management of a significant public health hazard.
