PEPCY-Toxic and Bioactive PEPtides in CYanobacteria

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Central Aim

What can we do about it?

The central aim of PEPCY is to improve cyanotoxin risk assessment and risk management. Objectives for providing the scientific basis for this aim include:

• elucidation of the regulation of cyanopeptide production, in direct dependency of environmental factors, for the development of molecular tools
• understanding cyanopeptide toxicity (pathway of exposure, toxicokinetics and dynamics and underlying mechanisms) in order identify the most relevant cyanopeptides
• development of rapid qualitative and quantitative detection methods for an integrated hazard identification, risk assessment and management approach

Objectives for improving risk assessment and risk management include:

• identification of key factors leading to potential exposure scenarios
• development of decision trees in conjunction with appropriate standard operating procedures for hazard identification and monitoring (at EU, WHO and national levels)
• dissemination of information identifying potential hazards to end-users and the general public

Expected scientific and technological achievements include:

• new Tools for Characterising Cyanobacterial Chemotypes and Genotypes
• identification of new potentially toxic peptided from the cyanobacterial taxa most frequently present in European waterbodies
• identification of genes involved in production of these peptides for matching "genotypes" to "chemotypes" and for provision of mutants lacking such compounds as tools for assessments of toxic effects as well as of competitive advantages of peptide production
• provision and application of genetic tools for rapid screening in exposure and risk assessment

Regulation and Monitoring of Cyanopeptide Occurrence:

• assessment of the relevance of an influence of environmental factors on cellular peptide production
• understanding factors determining the occurrence of different cyanobacterial genotypes producing different peptides in the field (databaseon occurrence in Europe)

Quantitative analysis:

• provision of rapid, easy-to-use cyanopeptide bio-monitoring systems to detect the most active cyanopeptides
• establishment of quantitative physicochemical analytical and immunoassay-based methods for cyanobacterial peptides (MALDI-TOF MS; HPLC) and evaluation of potential simple monitoring surrogate parameters

Toxicity and hazard characterisation:

• provision of dose-response data on potentially toxic cyanopeptides
• description of modes of action and type(s) of effects
• identification of most likely exposure routes and consequently hazard assessment of potential human health effects

Cyanopeptide Risk Management:

• assessment of the risk of exposure from data on occurrence of cyanobacteria containing hazardous peptides
• development of an Alert Levels Framework with decision trees for exposure to cyanopeptides via drinking, recreation and occupational exposure
• development of risk communication strategies and materials for cyanopeptide hazards, exposure risks, and their avoidance/reduction for the public and professional groups
• development of a risk management approach for cyanopeptides in collaboration with international (WHO), European and national institutions, public health authorities and environment agencies