Microcystins are a group of cyclic heptapeptide hepatotoxins produced by a number of cyanobacterial
genera. The most notable of which, and namesake, is the widespread genus Microcystis. Structurally, all
microcystins consist of the generalized structure cyclo(-D-Ala1-X2-D-MeAsp3-Y4-Adda5-D-Glu6-Mdha7-).
X and Y are variable L-amino acids, D-MeAsp is D-erythro-?- methylaspartic acid and Mdha is N-
methyldehydroalanine. Adda is the cyanobacteria unique C20 ?- amino acid 3-amino-9-methoxy-2,6,8-
trimethyl-10-phenyl-deca-4,6-dienoic acid. Substitutions of the variable L-amino acids at positions 2 and
4 give rise to at least 21 known primary microcystin analogs and alterations in the other constituent
amino acids result in more than 90 reported mycrocystins to date.
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