近日，美国佐治亚大学Susan B. Wilde、德国哈勒-维腾贝格大学Timo H. J. Niedermeyer等研究人员合作发现，一种蓝细菌产生的神经毒素导致了空泡型髓鞘质病。该研究于2021年3月26日发表于国际一流学术期刊《科学》。

据研究人员介绍，空泡型髓鞘质病是一种致命的神经系统疾病，最初是在美国阿肯色州的白头鹰神秘大量死亡中发现的。这种野生生物疾病的病因数十年来一直困扰着科学家，而它的发生却继续蔓延到美国东南部的整个淡水水库。最近的研究表明，空泡型髓鞘质病是由食用在水生植物上生长的附生蓝细菌物种Aetokthonos hydrillicola引起的，主要是侵入性的Hydrilla verticillata。

研究人员报道了对aetokthono毒素的鉴定、生物合成基因簇和生物学活性，这是是由蓝细菌A. hydrillicola产生的五溴代双吲哚生物碱。研究人员将这种蓝细菌神经毒素确定为空泡型髓鞘质病的病因，并讨论了促进毒素产生的环境因素，尤其是溴化物的可用性。 

附：英文原文

Title: Hunting the eagle killer: A cyanobacterial neurotoxin causes vacuolar myelinopathy

Author: Steffen Breinlinger, Tabitha J. Phillips, Brigette N. Haram, Jan Mare, José A. Martínez Yerena, Pavel Hrouzek, Roman Sobotka, W. Matthew Henderson, Peter Schmieder, Susan M. Williams, James D. Lauderdale, H. Dayton Wilde, Wesley Gerrin, Andreja Kust, John W. Washington, Christoph Wagner, Benedikt Geier, Manuel Liebeke, Heike Enke, Timo H. J. Niedermeyer, Susan B. Wilde

Issue&Volume: 2021/03/26

Abstract: Vacuolar myelinopathy is a fatal neurological disease that was initially discovered during a mysterious mass mortality of bald eagles in Arkansas in the United States. The cause of this wildlife disease has eluded scientists for decades while its occurrence has continued to spread throughout freshwater reservoirs in the southeastern United States. Recent studies have demonstrated that vacuolar myelinopathy is induced by consumption of the epiphytic cyanobacterial species Aetokthonos hydrillicola growing on aquatic vegetation, primarily the invasive Hydrilla verticillata. Here, we describe the identification, biosynthetic gene cluster, and biological activity of aetokthonotoxin, a pentabrominated biindole alkaloid that is produced by the cyanobacterium A. hydrillicola. We identify this cyanobacterial neurotoxin as the causal agent of vacuolar myelinopathy and discuss environmental factors—especially bromide availability—that promote toxin production.

DOI: 10.1126/science.aax9050

Source: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/371/6536/eaax9050