Bioactive Compounds Produced by Cyanobacteria
Kaarina Sivonen and Thomas Börner
from: The Cyanobacteria: Molecular Biology, Genomics and Evolution (Edited by: Antonia Herrero and Enrique Flores). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2008)
Abstract
Cyanobacteria produce a large variety of bioactive compounds, including substances with anti-cancer and anti-viral activity, UV protectants, specific inhibitors of enzymes, and potent hepatotoxins and neurotoxins. Only a few biosynthetic pathways have been elucidated. So far genes have been identified for several bioactive proteins, "ribosomal" and "non-ribosomal" peptides, and peptide-polyketide hybrid molecules. Potential functions of bioactive compounds for the producing cells and evolutionary aspects are discussed, and methods for the detection of cyanobacterial toxins and harmful cyanobacteria are described read more ...
