Grouping of cyanobacteria saxitoxin genes and detection of cyanotoxic organisms

摘要

A method for detecting a cyanotoxic organism comprising the steps of obtaining a sample for use in the method and analyzing the sample for the presence of a cluster of SXT genes present only in saxitoxin producing organisms, wherein said analysis comprises detecting: ( i) a polynucleotide comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 14, SEQ ID NO: 20, SEQ ID NO: 22, SEQ ID NO: 24, and SEQ ID NO: 36; (ii) a variant polynucleotide that has at least 80% sequence identity with a polynucleotide of (i); (iii) a complementary ribonucleic acid or DNA encoded by a sequence according to (i); (iv) a polypeptide comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 15, SEQ ID NO: 21, SEQ ID NO: 23, SEQ ID NO: 25, and SEQ ID NO: 37; or, (v) a variant polypeptide that has at least 80% sequence identity with a polypeptide of (iv), and in which said presence is indicative of cyanotoxic organisms in the sample.