Microcystin producing cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. BHU001 from a pond in India

The cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. BHU001 is a new isolate from a pond in India. The cyanobacterium produces more than ten peptides including five microcystin (MC) variants, MC-LR, -WR, -AR, -LA and methylated MC-LR, and a new peptide similar to cyanopeptolin. Total MC content determined by ELISA was 25.2 μg g−1 dry wt of the cyanobacterium, dominated by MC-LR (54%). This is the first report of MC producing Nostoc strain from India.