Project Abstract

Cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, are a group of photosynthetic prokaryotes that form blooms in bodies of water. In Alberta, many lakes are close to farms whose operations release nutrients such as phosphorus, which contribute to the proliferation of cyanobacteria. Overgrowth of harmful algal blooms (HAB) causes damage to aquatic ecosystems, primarily by oxygen consumption and cyanotoxin release during HAB decay. Microcystis aeruginosa (MC) produces the cyanotoxin microcystin–LR (MC–LR), which is toxic to animals if consumed. Chemical treatments, such as copper sulfate, cause off-target effects to lake organisms. Our objective is to utilize a CRISPR-Cas13a target-specific system contained in a phage-like particle to combat HAB. This system will control overgrowth of cyanoblooms without off-target effects. Furthermore, incorporating the microcystin-degrading enzyme mlrA in our genetic construct mitigates the dangers of MC-LR by peptide linearization. Overall, this provides a treatment method that tackles the harm due to cyanobacteria in aquatic ecosystems.