FIRST RECORD OF MARASMIUS LIMOSUS AND PHOLIOTA CONISSANS (BASIDIOMYCOTA) IN BULGARIA

The paper provides information on the first finding of Marasmius limosus Quél. and Pholiota conissans (Fr.) M. M. Moser in Bulgaria. Both fungi were found as saprotrophs on decaying leaves and stems of Typha angustifolia L. in the karstic swamp Dragomansko Blato. Morphological data obtained by light microscopy are provided for both species. The easy recording of both species in the swamp in the middle of October allows the suggestion for further autumn searching for macromycetes in wetlands

Pilot assessment of cyanotoxins as potential risk factors for cancer in Bulgaria

Cyanoprokaryotes (=cyanobacteria, blue-green algae) are the most ancient oxygen-producing phototrophic microorganisms, spread all over the Globe, which form the important basis of different food chains in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. However, due to strong anthropogenic pressure during the last decades they are also responsible for causing nuisance algal blooms in different water bodies with deleterious effects on the mankind and ecosystems mainly due to production of toxic substances (cyanotoxins). Amongst them are the microcystins, nodularins, lyngbyatoxins and aplysiatoxins, known as tumor-promotors with increase of exposure routes through which humans and animals can be placed at risk (Meriluoto et al. 2017). However, the investigations on the relations between the occurrence and development of such diseases with the cyanotoxins and their producers are extremely scarce at a global scale (Yu and Chen 1994, Ueno et al. 1996, Fleming et al. 2002, Svircev et al. 2009, Drobac et al. 2011, Labine et al. 2015). During the last 15 years cyanoblooms and microcystins, nodularins and saxitoxins were detected in 16 different Bulgarian freshwater bodies, including some drinking-water reservoirs (Stoyneva-Gärtner et al. 2017). Amongst the detected toxins some new forms were recognized by their characteristic spectra (Pavlova 2007, Pavlova et al. 2007), and, more recently, a new potential producer of lyngbyatoxin was found in the Black Sea (Stoyneva et al. 2015). The poster shows a pilot assessment of the spread of cancer distribution and mortality vs. spread of cyanoblooms and cyanotoxins in Bulgaria. The pilot assessment is made on the basis of comparison of the general regions of spread of cyanotoxins in Bulgarian water bodies and toxin-producing cyanospecies during the period 2000-2017 (Stoyneva-Gärtner et al. 2017) with the spread of cancer in Bulgaria (e.g. Valerianova et al. 2015). The comparison shows general conformities between the spread of the "most dangerous" water bodies and main regions of cancer diseases in the country. The results obtained served as a basis for a new project proposal which aims at a deepening of the studies for improvement of prevention of cancer in the country

RED LIST OF BULGARIAN ALGAE. II. MICROALGAE.

The Red List presented in this paper is focused on Bulgarian non-marine microalgae which face a risk of extinction. The assignment to each IUCN Red List category is according to the seven specific criteria and their relative values in the new method for an evaluation of the threatened status of microalgae (STOYNEVA-GÄRTNER ET AL., this volume). The list contains 756 taxa (613 species, 82 varieties and 61 forms) from 7 divisions, classified in six IUCN categories and shows that threatened microalgae represent 14% the total algal biodiversity of Bulgaria

REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES ON PSEUDOGYMNOASCUS DESTRUCTANS STUDIES WITH REFERENCE TO SPECIES FINDINGS IN BULGARIA

Emerging infectious diseases are a well-known threat to the wildlife and require complex research. There is a rapidly accumulating knowledge on the infectious disease of bats, named firstly White Nose Syndrome (WNS) and afterwards – White Nose Disease (WND), and its causative agent – the pathogenic fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Although mass mortality of bats, known since a decade, is currently restricted to North America, the pathogen is of global concern as a potential threat to other hibernating bat populations. Therefore five years after the first comprehensive synthesis on the fungal ecology and relevant knowledge gaps (FOLEY ET AL. 2011), we decided to summarize the published information on the pathogen morphology, reproduction, ecological requirements, geographic distribution and systematic position. In addition, the present review compiles the available data on the affected bat species, mechanisms of WND, on the host response and on the effective treatment strategies with possible methods for fighting the pathogen to reduce the mortality in affected regions as well. Special attention is paid to the finding of the fungus in Bulgarian caves

Microcystis aeruginosa and M. wesenbergii Were the Primary Planktonic Microcystin Producers in Several Bulgarian Waterbodies (August 2019)

The rising interest in harmful cyanoprokaryote blooms promotes an increase of phycological and ecological research on potentially toxic species and their hazardous substances. The present study aimed to identify the main microcystin (MC) producers and their contribution to the phytoplankton of shallow waterbodies in Bulgaria, applying different methods. The sampling was performed in August 2019 in nine lakes and reservoirs, two of which (reservoirs Kriva Reka and Izvornik 2) were studied for the first time. The high contribution of cyanoprokaryotes to the total species composition and phytoplankton abundance was proved by light microscopic (LM) observations and HPLC analysis of marker pigments. The LM identification of potential MC-producers was supported by PCR amplification of mcyE and mcyB genes. The MCs amounts, detected by HPLC-DAD, varied by sites with a range from undetectable concentrations to 0.46 g L 1 with only one recorded variant, namely MC-LR. It was found only in the reservoirs Mandra and Durankulak, while toxigenic MC-strains were obtained by PCR from five more waterbodies. Both LM and PCR demonstrated that the MC-producers were Microcystis aeruginosa and M. wesenbergii, despite their occurrence in low amounts (<0.5–5% of the total biomass) when filamentous cyanoprokaryotes dominated.Peer reviewe

Cyanocystopsis kitagatae gen. et sp. nov. (Cyanoprokaryota/ Cyanobacteria) from the tropical lake Kitagata (Uganda, Africa)

peer reviewedThe paper describes a new genus and new species of Cyanoprokaryota, referred to Pleurocapsales incertae sedis – Cyanocystopsis kitagatae gen. et sp. nov. The new taxon is characterized by the presence of two different stages (filamentous, formed by spherical cells and stalked bundles of claviform cells). The branching of filaments, which leads to the formation of clusters of claviform cells, is caused by cell division, which slightly resembles the true-branching of cyanoprokaryotes. However, this division is peculiar by its subsequent character and excentric disposition of the daughter cells, which leads to the formation of specific tetrads, from which the claviform cells develop. Spores (aplanospores) and vegetative reproductive stages of the alga have been observed. The new species was found as a dominant in a fixed phytoplankton sample from the small, hypertrophic and hypersaline tropical crater lake Kitagata (Uganda, Africa). The pigment marker analysis of the same sample proved the high (ca 96%) cyanoprokaryote contribution to the phytoplankton biomass.HIP

Review of cyanotoxicity studies based on cell cultures

Cyanotoxins (CTs) are a large and diverse group of toxins produced by the peculiar photosynthetic prokaryotes of the domain Cyanoprokaryota. Toxin-producing aquatic cyanoprokaryotes can develop in mass, causing “water blooms” or “cyanoblooms,” which may lead to environmental disaster—water poisoning, extinction of aquatic life, and even to human death. CT studies on single cells and cells in culture are an important stage of toxicological studies with increasing impact for their further use for scientific and clinical purposes, and for policies of environmental protection. The higher cost of animal use and continuous resistance to the use of animals for scientific and toxicological studies lead to a progressive increase of cell lines use. This review aims to present (1) the important results of the effects of CT on human and animal cell lines, (2) the methods and concentrations used to obtain these results, (3) the studied cell lines and their tissues of origin, and (4) the intracellular targets of CT. CTs reviewed are presented in alphabetical order as follows: aeruginosins, anatoxins, BMAA (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine), cylindrospermopsins, depsipeptides, lipopolysaccharides, lyngbyatoxins, microcystins, nodularins, cyanobacterial retinoids, and saxitoxins. The presence of all these data in a review allows in one look to advance the research on CT using cell cultures by facilitating the selection of the most appropriate methods, conditions, and cell lines for future toxicological, pharmacological, and physiological studies

Aeroterrestrial and Extremophilic Microalgae as Promising Sources for Lipids and Lipid Nanoparticles in Dermal Cosmetics

Microscopic prokaryotic and eukaryotic algae (microalgae), which can be effectively grown in mass cultures, are gaining increasing interest in cosmetics. Up to now, the main attention was on aquatic algae, while species from aeroterrestrial and extreme environments remained underestimated. In these habitats, algae accumulate high amounts of some chemical substances or develop specific compounds, which cause them to thrive in inimical conditions. Among such biologically active molecules is a large family of lipids, which are significant constituents in living organisms and valuable ingredients in cosmetic formulations. Therefore, natural sources of lipids are increasingly in demand in the modern cosmetic industry and its innovative technologies. Among novelties in skin care products is the use of lipid nanoparticles as carriers of dermatologically active ingredients, which enhance their penetration and release in the skin strata. This review is an attempt to comprehensively cover the available literature on the high-value lipids from microalgae, which inhabit aeroterrestrial and extreme habitats (AEM). Data on different compounds of 87 species, subspecies and varieties from 53 genera (represented by more than 141 strains) from five phyla are provided and, despite some gaps in the current knowledge, demonstrate the promising potential of AEM as sources of valuable lipids for novel skin care products