%A Kaplan,Aaron %A Harel,Moshe %A Kaplan-Levy,Ruth %A Hadas,Ora %A Sukenik,Assaf %A Dittmann,Elke %D 2012 %J Frontiers in Microbiology %C %F %G English %K AOA,cylindrospermopsin,cyr,mcy,microcystin %Q %R 10.3389/fmicb.2012.00138 %W %L %M %P %7 %8 2012-April-18 %9 Review %+ Prof Aaron Kaplan,The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,Plant and Environmental Sciences,The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences,Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram Edmond J. Safra Campus, Giv,Jerusalem,91904,Israel,aaronka@vms.huji.ac.il %# %! aoa, cylindrospermopsin, cyr, microcystin, mcy %* %< %T The Languages Spoken in the Water Body (or the Biological Role of Cyanobacterial Toxins) %U https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2012.00138 %V 3 %0 JOURNAL ARTICLE %@ 1664-302X %X Although intensification of toxic cyanobacterial blooms over the last decade is a matter of growing concern due to bloom impact on water quality, the biological role of most of the toxins produced is not known. In this critical review we focus primarily on the biological role of two toxins, microcystins and cylindrospermopsin, in inter- and intra-species communication and in nutrient acquisition. We examine the experimental evidence supporting some of the dogmas in the field and raise several open questions to be dealt with in future research. We do not discuss the health and environmental implications of toxin presence in the water body.