• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.697-702
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• 2011

A strain of the cyanobacterium Arthrospira was isolated from Lake Chahannaoer in northern China and was characterized according to microscopic morphology, photosynthetic oxygen-evolving activity, growth rate, and nutritional profile. Compared with thermophilic Arthrospira species occurring naturally in tropical and subtropical lakes, this isolate is mesophilic and grows optimally at ${\sim}20^{\circ}C$. The total protein, fatty acid, phycocyanin, carotenoid, and chlorophyll a contents were 67.6, 6.1, 4.32, 0.29, and 0.76 grams per 100 grams of dry weight, respectively. The strain is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). An essential omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), was detected, and ${\gamma}$-linolenic acid (GLA) and DHA accounted for 28.3% of the total fatty acid content. These features of this newly isolated strain make it potentially useful in commercial mass culture in local areas or as a biofuel feedstock. It is also an alternative resource for studying the metabolic PUFA pathways and mechanisms of cold stress tolerance in cyanobacteria.

• ALGAE
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2009

The filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. Strain PCC 7120 produces a developmental patten of single hete- rocysts separated by approximately 10 vegetative cells. Heterocysts differentiate from vegetative cells and are spe- cialized for nitrogen fixation. The patS gene, which encodes a small peptide that inhibits heterocyst differentiation, is expressed in proheterocysts and plays a critical role in establishing the heterocyst pattem. Another key regulator of heterocyst development is the hetR gene. hetR mutants fail to produce heterocysts and extra copies of hetR on a plas- mid cause a multiple contiguous heterocyst phenotype. To elucidate the relationship between these two counter act- ing factors in the genetic regulatory pathway during heterocyst differentiation, the expression patterns of a patS-gfp and a hetR-gfp fusion were examined in a patS deletion and a hetR deletion strain. The results, in combination with the result from a hetR and patS double deletion strain, suggest patS and hetR are mutually antagonistic and the bal- ance between these two factors in tow different cell types (heterocysts and vegetative cells) may be critical during the decision making process on their cell fates.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.874-880
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• 1997

Various classes of phospholipids were investigated for the structural determination of fatty acyl groups by fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry (FAB-MS/MS). Phospholipids were desorbed by FAB as molecules chelated with sodium ion (or ions). Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of intact sodium adduct molecular ions ([M+Na]+, [M-H+2Na]+ or [M+Na-2H]-) produced a series of homologous fragment ions via the charge-remote fragmentation along the fatty acid chains. These ions were found useful to locate the double bond positions even for the polyunsaturated fatty acid chains. The regiospecificity of the acyl chain linkages in phosphatidylcholine (PC) could also be determined based on the ratio of relative abundance of the product ions (i.e., [M+Na-85-R2COOH]+ vs [M+Na-85-R1COOH]+) in CID-MS/MS of [M+Na]+. These are generated by the loss of fatty acyl groups at sn-1 and sn-2, respectively, together with the choline group. In all the phospholipid compounds investigated, loss of the fatty acid at the sn-2 position was dominant. The present method was applied to the structural determination of molecular species of phosphatidylglycerols (PG) isolated from cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

• ALGAE
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.195-206
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• 2021

Increasing inputs of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to northern lakes is resulting in 'lake browning.' Lake browning profoundly affects phytoplankton community composition by modifying two important environmental drivers-light and nutrients. The impact of increased DOM on native isolates of red and green-pigmented cyanobacteria identified as Pseudanabaena, which emerged from a Dolichospermum bloom (Dickson Lake, Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada) in 2015, were examined under controlled laboratory conditions. The genomes were sequenced to identify phylogenetic relatedness and physiological similarities, and the physical and chemical effects of increased DOM on cellular performance and competitiveness were assessed. Our study findings were that the isolated red and green phenotypes are two distinct species belonging to the genus Pseudanabaena; that both isolates remained physiologically unaffected when grown independently under defined DOM regimes; and that neither red nor green phenotype achieved a competitive advantage when grown together under defined DOM regimes. While photosynthetic pigment diversity among phytoplankton offers niche-differentiation opportunities, the results of this study illustrate the coexistence of two distinct photosynthetic pigment phenotypes under increasing DOM conditions.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.439-441
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• 2002

Cyanobacteria are the dominant micro flora in rice-fields, contributing significantly to fertility as a natural biofertilizer. Recent studies show a continuous depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, and the consequent increase in solar UV-B (280-315 nm) radiation reaching the Earth's surface. UV-B radiation causes reduction in growth, survival, protein content, heterocyst frequency and fixation of carbon and nitrogen in many cyanobacteria. UV -B induced bleaching of pigments, disassembly of phycobilisomal complexes, thymine dimer formation and alterations in membrane permeability have also been encounterd in a number of cyanobacteria. However, certain cyanobacteria produce photoprotective compounds such as water soluble colorless mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) and the lipid soluble yellow-brown colored sheath pigment, scytonemin, to counteract the damaging effects of UV-B. Cyanobacteria, such as Anabaena sp., Nostoc commune, Scytonema sp. and Lyngbya sp. were isolated from rice fields and other habitats in India and screened for the presence of photoprotective compounds. A circadian induction of the synthesis of MAAs by UV -B was noted in a number of cyanobacteria. Polychromatic action spectra for the induction of MAAs in Anabaena sp. and Nostoc commune also show the induction to be UV-B dependent peaking at 290 nm. Another photoprotective compound, scytonemin, with an absorption maximum at 386 nm (also absorbs at 300, 278, 252 and 212 nm), was detected in many cyanobacteria. In conclusion, a particular cyanobacterium having photoprotective compounds may be a potent candidate as biofertilizer for crop plants.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2024

This study presents the characteristics of growth and morphology of Anabaena sp., a representative filamentous cyanobacterium, depending on temperature variation from 10 to 30 ℃. Both the filament density (or number) and its length of Anabaena were highly affected by temperature, as well as growth stage. Rapid growth at a higher temperature led to an increase in Anabaena filament density, as well as optical density at 680 nm (OD₆₈₀). However, the number of vegetative cells within a single filament of Anabaena grown at 30 ℃ was smaller than those grown at lower temperatures, due to the intercalary division of the filament. Of the three different cells comprising a single Anabaena filament, the vegetative cell marginally affects the growth of Anabaena. The main dimensions of the vegetative cell, i.e., length and width, depend on the temperature and growth stage. The length-to-width (L/W) ratios of vegetative cells and akinetes were relatively consistent regardless of the temperature. However, in vegetative cells with dichotomous growth, the L/W ratio shows clear differences depending on their growth stage. It has been demonstrated that the L/W ratio could be used as an indicator to indirectly predict the growth stage of on-sit Anabaena samples.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.23 no.2 s.58
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• pp.135-140
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• 2005

In order to construct an artificial cultivation of Nostoc flagelliforme on solid medium, we attempted to assess the viability of approaches, which utilized either BG-11 agar or sand medium using both sterile and non-sterile algal segments. In the trial in which the BG -11 agar medium was inoculated with the non-sterile algal segments, the algae exhibited the rapid growth in the initial 4 days of cultivation. However, after 4 days of cultivation, the growth rate of the algae slowed, and the algal growth was completely stopped by 7 days of cultivation. When the BG -11 medium was inoculated with the sterile algal segments, the algae exhibited the rapid growth for a longer period of 8 days, reaching a length of 24.9 mm. The growth rate during this period was measured to be $24.5\%$. After the 8 days of cultivation, the algal growth rate began to slow and had almost stopped by the 13 days of cultivation. On the other hand, when the sterile algal segments were inoculated onto a sand plate, the algal segments decomposed, reaching total decomposition after 11 days of cultivation. By way of contrast, the desiccation treatment samples continued to grow for 14 days of cultivation. After 14 days of cultivation, the algae achieved a length of 26.1 mm, with a growth rate of $30.6\%$. Our results indicate that periodic desiccation may constitute an effective strategy for the prevention of algal decomposition.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2004

A Gram (-), rod-shaped bacterium in size of 1.3∼$1.8{\times}0.35{\mu}m$ inhibiting the growth of cyanobacterium (Ana-baena cylindrica) was isolated and designated NG-2 in this manuscript. This isolate showed positive reactions for catalase and oxidase, and optimal growth conditions of 35∼TEX>$40<^{\circ}C$ and pH 9.0. In a mixed-culture of A. cylindrica and the isolate, each microorganism grew inverse-proportionally, and the cyanobacterial vegetative cells almost completely disappeared within 24 hours. NG-2 lysed A. cylindrica only under light, which means that lytic activity of NG-2 was dependent on the photosynthetic activity of host. When observed under phase contrast microscope, the isolate lysed vegetative cells of A. cylindrica in scattered state in a liquid medium, whereas het-erocysts have not been lysed. When cyanobacterial cell walls have been lysed partly, NG-2 attatched around A. cylindrica filament and formed colony, then encouraged complete lysis of cyanobacterial cells. The isolate showed similar lytic activity in natural water as in an artificial medium. And lytic activity of NG-2 was enhanced when attached on expandable polystyrene bead.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.141-145
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• 2008

In this study, glucose-inducible intergenic sequences were used to generate bioreporters of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 that could monitor environmental pollutants. Luciferase genes LuxAB from the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri under the control of glucose-inducible intergenic seqeucens of eight genes (atpI, ndbA, ctaD1, tkt, pgi, pdh, ppc, and cydA) were successfully expressed in the cyano-bacterial transformants, showing 5-25 fold increases in biolumeniscence upon exposure to glucose. In addition, glucose-inducible cyanobacterial bioreporters were very sensitive to various chemicals such as heavy metals ($Hg^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$), electron transport inhibitors (DCMU, DBMIB, $CN^-$), and antibiotics (chloramphenicol and rifampicin). These glucose-inducible cyanobacterial bioreporters would be useful to develop biosensors for rapid screening of environmental samples.

• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.21-24
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• 2012

Influence of gamma rays on the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 cells was investigated in terms of a bidirectional hydrogenase, which is encoded by hoxEFUYH genes and responsible for biohydrogen production. Irradiated cells revealed a substantial change in stoichiometry of photosystems at one day after gamma irradiation at different doses. However, as evaluated by the maximal rate of photosynthetic oxygen evolution, maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II, and chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis or photosynthetic capacity was not significantly different between the control and irradiated cells. Instead, transcription of hoxE, hoxH, or lexA, which encodes a subunit of bidirectional hydrogenase or the only transcriptional activator, LexA, for hox genes, was commonly enhanced in the irradiated cells. This transcriptional enhancement was more conspicuously observed immediately after gamma irradiation. In contrast, hydrogenase activities were found to somewhat lower in the irradiated cells. Therefore, we propose that transcription of hox genes should be enhanced by gamma irradiation in a LexA-mediated and possibly photosynthesis-independent manner and that this enhancement might not induce a subsequent increase in hydrogenase activities, probably due to the presence of post-transcriptional and/or post-translational regulatory mechanisms.