Contact: [email protected]

New University of Michigan research by Lauren Hart, a recent PhD graduate in biological chemistry, and Greg Dick, School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) professor and director of the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, shows that harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie produce a greater range of toxic compounds than previously known. 

Called bioactive cyanopeptides, the researchers found that they may overlap and interact with each other in ways that amplify their toxicity throughout the season, and that it will be important to understand how they interact. For the first time, the researchers characterized the molecules that exist in what they call 'forbidden soup' in western Lake Erie, comprised of different compounds, and identified co-occurrences of the molecules. Then, in a second study, they tested the impact of the co-occurrences, finding that they are of concern. 

“A lot of people are aware of these algal toxins, but the big picture is that these harmful algal blooms are expanding with climate change, and they’re a real threat to recreation, drinking water and ecosystems,” said Dick.

SEAS Associate Research Scientist Casey Godwin is also an author of the "Diverse Cyanopeptides Follow Distinct Temporal Succession Patterns in Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms" study.

Read the full press release on the Michigan News website.

ISME Journal study: Diverse Cyanopeptides Follow Distinct Temporal Succession Patterns in Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms (DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrag026)

Environmental Toxicology study: Cyanopeptide Mixtures Induce Variable Synergistic and Antagonistic Effects Across Diverse Human Cell Lines (DOI: 10.1002/tox.70028)