Current knowledge of paralytic shellfish toxin biosynthesis, molecular detection and evolution

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur when microalgae rapidly proliferate in a water supply and detrimentally impact humans or the environment (Hudnell 2008, Anderson et al. 2012). HAB forming species are usually specific for a particular environment. For example, in marine environments, HABs predominantly consist of eukaryotic dinoflagellates, while in freshwater environments, they are composed of prokaryotic cyanobacteria (also referred to as harmful cyanobacterial blooms)