The response of Microcystis aeruginosa strain MGK to a single or two consecutive H2O2 applications

Various approaches have been proposed to control/eliminate toxic Microcystis sp. blooms including H2O2 treatments. Earlier studies showed that pre-exposure of various algae to oxidative stress induced massive cell death when cultures were exposed to an additional H2O2 treatment. We examined the vulnerability of exponential and stationary-phase Microcystis sp. strain MGK cultures to single and double H2O2 applications. Stationary cultures show a much higher ability to decompose H2O2 than younger cultures. Nevertheless, they are more sensitive to an additional H2O2 dose given 1-6 h after the first one. Transcript analyses following H2O2 application showed a fast rise in glutathione peroxidase abundance (227-fold within an hour) followed by a steep decline thereafter. Other genes potentially engaged in oxidative stress were far less affected. Metabolic-related genes were downregulated after H2O2 treatments. Among those examined, the transcript level of prk (encoding phosphoribulose kinase) was the slowest to recover in agreement with the decline in photosynthetic rate revealed by fluorescence measurements. Our findings shed light on the response of Microcystis MGK to oxidative stress suggesting that two consecutive H2O2 applications of low concentrations are far more effective in controlling Microcystis sp. population than a single dose of a higher concentration.