Table 1.
Marine and freshwater HABs associated with human and environmental health concerns
| Organism(s) | Toxin(s) | “Target” | Toxicoses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protista | |||
| Dinoflagellata (“dinoflagellates”) | |||
| Karenia brevis | Brevetoxins (PbTx) | Activates voltage-gated Na+ channels | “Florida Red Tide”, “Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning” |
| Gambierdiscus toxicus | Ciguatoxin (CTx) | Activates voltage-gated Na+ channels | “Ciguatera” |
| Alexandrium spp. | Saxitoxin (STx) | Inhibits voltage-gated Na+ channels | “Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning” |
| Dinophysis spp., Prorocentrum lima | Okadaic Acid (OA), Dinophysistoxins, Pectenotoxin, Yessotoxin | Phosphatase inhibition | “Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning” |
| Protoperidinium crassipesa | Azaspiracids (AZA) | Unknown | Gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms |
| Bacillariophyta (“diatoms”) | |||
| Pseudonitzchia spp. | Domoic Acid (DA) | Glutamate receptor agonist | “Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning” |
| Monera (Bacteria) | |||
| Cyanobacteria | |||
| Microcystis aeruginosa (and other genera/species) | Microcystins | Inhibit Ser/Thr phosphatases (PP1, PP2a) | Hepatotoxic, tumor promotion |
| Nodularia spumigens | Nodularin | Inhibit Ser/Thr phosphatases (PP1, PP2a) | Hepatotoxic, tumor promotion |
| Anabaena spp. | Anatoxin-a; STx | Mimics acetylcholine (see STx, above) | Neurotoxic |
| Aphanizomenon flos-aquae | Anatoxin-a(s); Anatoxin, STx | Acetylcholinesterase inhibition (see anatoxin-a and STx, above) | Neurotoxic |
| Cylindrospermopis raciborskii | Cylindrospermopsin | Inhibits protein synthesis | Hepatotoxic |
Species/genera and their toxins, as well as the associated targets and toxicoses, are given.
a
Proposed to be the algal source of azaspiracids, but not confirmed.