Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Marine Ecosystems
Summary
Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) comprise a suite of potent neurotoxins, principally saxitoxin and its analogues, produced by certain marine dinoflagellates and freshwater cyanobacteria. These toxins block voltage-gated sodium channels in nerve and muscle cells, leading to paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in humans and wildlife. PST-producing organisms, notably species of Alexandrium, Gymnodinium and Pyrodinium, form harmful algal blooms that are influenced by environmental drivers such as temperature, nutrient availability and ocean currents. Shellfish and other filter-feeding organisms bioaccumulate PSTs, which can then be transferred through food webs to fish, crustacea and higher predators, posing risks to public health, fisheries and aquaculture industries worldwide.
Recent advances have elucidated the global distribution and historical persistence of PST-producers, the biochemical pathways of toxin synthesis and transformation, and the physiological responses of bivalves to toxin exposure. Monitoring programmes now deploy molecular, biochemical and sensor-based tools to detect PSTs and their source organisms. Improved understanding of depuration kinetics and biotransformation in key vectors informs risk assessment and seafood safety regulations. Despite regulatory measures, climate-driven shifts in bloom phenology and toxin profiles continue to challenge management efforts, emphasising the need for integrated ecosystem-based approaches that link oceanography, toxicology and socio-economic factors.
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Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Marine Ecosystems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in paralytic shellfish toxins in marine ecosystems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs): A family of neurotoxins produced by dinoflagellates and cyanobacteria that block sodium channels, causing paralytic shellfish poisoning.
Saxitoxin (STX): The principal PST analogue, highly potent and widely used as a reference for toxicity equivalence calculations.
Depuration: The physiological process by which shellfish eliminate accumulated toxins over time.
Biotransformation: Enzymatic conversion of one toxin analogue into another within an organism, affecting toxicity profiles.
Sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA): Genetic material preserved in sediments, used to reconstruct historical distributions of toxin-producing microalgae.
References
- Recovering sedimentary ancient DNA of harmful dinoflagellates accumulated over the last 9000 years off Eastern Tasmania, Australia. ISME Communications (2024).
- Paralytic Shellfish Toxins (PST)-Transforming Enzymes: A Review. Toxins (2020).
- First Report of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Marine Invertebrates and Fish in Spain. Toxins (2020).
- Contrasting Physiological Responses of Two Populations of the Razor Clam Tagelus dombeii with Different Histories of Exposure to Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP). PLOS ONE (2014).
- Transformation and Depuration of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in the Geoduck Clam Panopea globosa From the Northern Gulf of California. Frontiers in Marine Science (2018).
- Paralytic Shellfish Toxin Uptake, Assimilation, Depuration, and Transformation in the Southeast Asian Green-Lipped Mussel (Perna viridis). Toxins (2019).
- The Application of Nanopore Sequencing Technology to the Study of Dinoflagellates: A Proof of Concept Study for Rapid Sequence-Based Discrimination of Potentially Harmful Algae. Frontiers in Microbiology (2020).
- Docking Simulation of the Binding Interactions of Saxitoxin Analogs Produced by the Marine Dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum to the Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Nav1.4. Toxins (2016).
- Prevalence, Variability and Bioconcentration of Saxitoxin-Group in Different Marine Species Present in the Food Chain. Toxins (2017).
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