Can hydrogen peroxide control the toxicity of harmful algal blooms?

UM team members: Greg Dick Earth and Environmental Sciences (PI) Rose Cory Earth and Environmental Sciences Tom Johengen CILER/SNRE/NOAA-GLERL (Co-I) Vincent Denef Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Co-I) Melissa Duhaime Ecology and Evolutionary Biology George Kling Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Tim James Ecology and Evolutionary Biology David Sherman Life Sciences Institute and School of Pharmacy Gary L. Fahnenstiel Water Center

NOAA GLERL team members:

Steve Ruberg Tim Davis

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are a global problem; Lake Erie is our local laboratory

http://www.climate.gov/

microcystin

Michigan Sea Grant

A silver bullet? Hydrogen peroxide selectively kills cyanobacteria

What is the effect of naturally produced hydrogen peroxide?

Slide from Rose Cory

The microcystin toxin protects Microcystis from hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)

NIES44 (non-toxic)

NIES1050 (toxic)

microcystin

Zilliges et al. 2011

toxic

nontoxic

H2O2 (μM) 0 0.5 1.0

Does natural H2O2 affect the toxicity of harmful algal blooms?

Microcystin concentration

(ug/L)

Phycocyanin concentration

(ug/L)

% toxic Microcystis

(mcyD/E : 16S)

Metagenomics mcyD/16S

qPCR mcyD/16S Metagenomics mcyE/16S

Hydrogen peroxide (μM)

Does natural H2O2 affect the toxicity of harmful algal blooms?