Isolation of two toxic heptapeptide microcystins from an axenic strain of Microcystis aeruginosa, K-139

Two toxic heptapeptides were isolated from an axenic Microcystis aeruginosa strain, K-139. Using mainly a non-destructive NMR method, we determined the structure of the major toxin to be 7-desmethylmicrocystin LR which lacks an N-methyl group of the dehydroalanine moiety of microcystin LR. The minor toxin was deduced to be 3,7-didesmethylmicrocystin LR. The chromatographic and NMR analyses of 7-desmethylmicrocystin LR were compared with those of 3-desmethylmicrocystin LR.