Aetokthonos hydrillicola CCALA 1050 Genome sequencing. Aetokthonos hydrillicola CCALA 1050

The project aims at identification of the genes responsible for biosynthesis of aetokthonotoxin, a potent neurotoxin causing avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM). Whole genomes of its cyanobaterial producer Aetokthonos hydrillicola are sequenced, and the candidate gene cluster is investigated using heterologous expression and in vitro enzymatic assays. The project will help us to understand AVM and enable the environmental monitoring of aetokthonotoxin producers by molecular techniques.