CyanobacteriaRANK: PhylumTAXONOMY: cellular organisms -> Bacteria -> Terrabacteria group -> Cyanobacteria/Melainabacteria group -> Cyanobacteria OVERVIEW: Cyanobacteria , also known as Cyanophyta, is a phylum of bacteria that obtain their energy through photosynthesis.[4] The name 'cyanobacteria' comes from the color of the bacteria . They are often called blue-green algae (but some consider that name a misnomer, as cyanobacteria are prokaryotic and algae should be eukaryotic,[5] although other definitions of algae encompass prokaryotic organisms).Cyanobacteria can produce neurotoxins, cytotoxins, endotoxins, and hepatotoxins (i.e. the microcystin-producing bacteria species microcystis), and are called cyanotoxins.Specific toxins include, anatoxin-a, anatoxin-as, aplysiatoxin, cyanopeptolin, cylindrospermopsin, domoic acid, nodularin R (from Nodularia), neosaxitoxin, and saxitoxin. Cyanobacteria reproduce explosively under certain conditions. This results in algal blooms, which can become harmful to other species, and pose a danger to humans and animals, if the cyanobacteria involved produce toxins. Several cases of human poisoning have been documented, but a lack of knowledge prevents an accurate assessment of the risks.[51][52][53] Recent studies suggest that significant exposure to high levels of some species of cyanobacteria producing toxins such as BMAA can cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Lake Mascoma ALS cluster [54] and Gulf War veterans' cluster are two notable examples.
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