Polyamine profile in the paralytic shellfish poison-producing alga Alexandrium minutum

Abstract

The polyamine profiles of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum during different growth stages were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Both free and conjugated polyamines were found, including putrescine, cadaverine, spermine, spermidine and norspermidine. During the growth cycle of A. minutum T1, the levels of norspermidine and putrescine in the free polyamines were the highest after 3 days culture. Putrescine and cadaverine were the major components in the conjugated polyamines. The amount of conjugated amines was higher than that of free amines during the exponential phase of A. minutum T1.