Toxic Tides Get a Genetic Explanation

Beaches closed. Marine mammals sickened. Fisheries idled. These are some of the harms that may be caused by algae blooms if they turn toxic, that is, if algae start producing a potent neurotoxin called domoic acid. Although domoic acid’s structure has been known for decades, the domoic acid’s biosynthesis has been poorly understood. A new study, however, has uncovered the genetic basis of domoic acid production, encouraging researchers who hope to predict domoic acid events, or toxic