Exploring the natural role of microcystins -: A review of effects on photoautotrophic organisms

Cyanobacterial blooms and the production of cyanotoxins represent a serious global problem. Although the effects of a group of important cyanotoxins, microcystins (MCs), have been studied intensively in various organisms, little is known about the natural functions of these cyclic heptapeptides. MCs may have allelopathic effects. This paper summarizes the information from the studies that have investigated the effects of MCs on photoautotrophs in vitro and in vivo. Interactions with terrestrial plants, macrophytes, macroalgae, and planktonic microalgae are reported in detail with respect to the ecological relevancy of experimental conditions related to allelopathy. Our review shows that only a limited number of studies described harmful effects of MCs at concentrations that are typical for the environment. Consequently, the ability of MCs to act as general allelopathic compounds against photoautotrophs seems unlikely. However, further research is needed for definitive confirmation or rejection of the allelopathic hypothesis as well as, an explanation of the crucial question of MC function in the context of new information from evolutionary and molecular biology.