Sl. Morton et al., OKADAIC ACID PRODUCTION FROM THE MARINE DINOFLAGELLATE PROROCENTRUM-BELIZEANUM FAUST ISOLATED FROM THE BELIZEAN CORAL-REEF ECOSYSTEM, Toxicon, 36(1), 1998, pp. 201-206
A species of epiphytic Prorocentrum (Dinophyta, Prorocentrales), colle
cted from the macroalga Dictyota dichotoma, was brought into culture.
Based on morphological characteristics, this isolate was identified as
Prorocentrum belizeanum. Analysis of the culture extract using high-p
erformance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectr
ometry indicated the production of okadaic acid, a toxic polyether lin
ked with the human diseases, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning and ciguat
era fish poisoning. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
.