Molecular Detection of Some Toxigenic Cyanobacteria in Tigris River in Baghdad–Iraq

Abstract Cyanobacteria and their emissions are becoming more widely reported around the world, posing a serious threat to both the environment and human health. Several orders of cyanobacteria have been identified to make cyanotoxin, the most common algal toxin. The aim of this research was to develop a method for detecting cylindrosprmopsin and saxitoxin biosynthesis genes in rivers .In November, December 2019 and January2020. Cyanobacteria were isolated from Tigris River freshwater and detected using a compound microscope as well as traditional PCR .All cyanobacteria isolates contained phycocyanin gene fragment. Five isolates of cyanobacteria in these study was successfully amplified a phycocyanin gene (Microcystis flosaquae, Microcystis sp, anabaena circinalis ,nostoc commune and westiellopsis prolifica) and all isolates successfully amplified aoaC gene to detecting the cylidrospemopsin and the saxitoxin. Our findings show that a PCR assay can be used to detect cylidrospemopsin and saxitoxin-producing cyanobacteria in river water, which is useful for stations that prepare drinking water for the public.