brevetoxin
Sign in to saveAlso known as brevetoxins
Brevetoxin (PbTx), or brevetoxins, are a suite of cyclic polyether compounds produced naturally by a species of dinoflagellate known as Karenia brevis. Brevetoxins are neurotoxins that bind to voltage-gated sodium channels in nerve cells, leading to disruption of normal neurological processes and causing the illness clinically described as neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP). Although brevetoxins are most well-studied in K. brevis, they are also found in other species of Karenia and at least one large fish kill has been traced to brevetoxins in Chattonella.
~18 min read
Encyclopedic overview
13 sectionsContents
- Types
- Others
- Natural occurrence
- Synthesis in the lab
- Mechanisms of action
- Toxicology
- Impacts of exposure on health and economy
- Exposure
- Public health and economy
- Monitoring and regulation
- Nitrogen and phosphorus availability vs toxicity level
- See also
- References
Brevetoxin (PbTx), or brevetoxins, are a suite of cyclic polyether compounds produced naturally by a species of dinoflagellate known as Karenia brevis. Brevetoxins are neurotoxins that bind to voltage-gated sodium channels in nerve cells, leading to disruption of normal neurological processes and causing the illness clinically described as neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP). Although brevetoxins are most well-studied in K. brevis, they are also found in other species of Karenia and at least one large fish kill has been traced to brevetoxins in Chattonella.
== Types == Brevetoxins are grouped into two main types: brevetoxin A and brevetoxin B. They are further classified by what chemical substituent (R group) is attached at certain positions within the core molecule.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “brevetoxin” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.