• ALGAE
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.223-232
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• 2015

More than 20 and 10 clades / ecotypes of Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus, respectively, have been identified in various oceanic regions. However, their diversity has yet to be thoroughly studied in the northwest Pacific Ocean. Further, spatial distribution of Synechococcus clades in the oligotrophic oceans has been scarcely characterized. To elucidate picocyanobacterial lineage distribution in the northwest Pacific Ocean, 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer sequences of picocyanobacteria were sequenced by barcoded amplicon pyrosequencing method. Additional pyrosequencing library using a primer specific for the Synechococcus subcluster-5.1 was constructed to thoroughly understand Synechococcus diversity in the oligotrophic oceans. In warm pool area, Prochlorococcus was predominant and showed a distinct depthpartitioning between HLII and LL ecotypes. Despite low abundances, diverse Synechococcus clades appeared in the oligotrophic open ocean, showing both vertical and horizontal niche partitioning. Clade II was the predominant Synechococcus clade, especially in upper euphotic depths. In shallow and middle euphotic depths, clades UC-A, III, and CRD1 were distributed broadly. However, a distinct shift in the horizontal distribution was found at ca. $20^{\circ}N$. Conversely, clades XVII and CRD2 dominated at deep euphotic depths and constituted a higher proportion than clade II. These niche-partitioning of Synechococcus clades seemed to be related with temperature, nutrient concentration as well as iron concentration.

• ALGAE
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.281-290
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• 2015

We explored phagotrophy of the phototrophic ciliate Mesodinium rubrum on the cyanobacterium Synechococcus. The ingestion and clearance rates of M. rubrum on Synechococcus as a function of prey concentration were measured. In addition, we calculated grazing coefficients by combining the field data on abundance of M. rubrum and co-occurring Synechococcus spp. with laboratory data on ingestion rates. The ingestion rate of M. rubrum on Synechococcus sp. linearly increased with increasing prey concentrations up to approximately 1.9 × 10⁶ cells mL^-1, to exhibit sigmoidal saturation at higher concentrations. The maximum ingestion and clearance rates of M. rubrum on Synechococcus were 2.1 cells predator^-1 h^-1 and 4.2 nL predator^-1 h^-1, respectively. The calculated grazing coefficients attributable to M. rubrum on cooccurring Synechococcus spp. reached 0.04 day^-1. M. rubrum could thus sometimes be an effective protistan grazer of Synechococcus in marine planktonic food webs. M. rubrum might also be able to form recurrent and massive blooms in diverse marine environments supported by the unique and complex mixotrophic arrays including phagotrphy on hetrotrophic bacteria and Synechococcus as well as digestion, kleptoplastidy and karyoklepty after the ingestion of cryptophyte prey.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.315-318
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• 2006

Three Synechococcus strains were isolated from seawater near the Ieodo Ocean Research Station (IORS), and their 16S rDNA genes and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) between the 16S and 23S rRNA genes were sequenced to investigate their phylogenetic relationships. Phylogenetic trees based on the 16S rDNA and ITS sequences showed that they clustered in the main MC-A Synechococcus group (subcluster 5.1), but formed branches differentiating them from the described clades. As the IORS is located in an area affected by diverse water masses, high Synechococcus diversity is expected in the area. Therefore, the IORS might be a good site to study the diversity, physiology, and distribution of the Synechococcus group.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.65-69
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• 1994

Light appears to be needed in the early and late function of the cyanophage of Synechococcus sp. and dark treatment during the first 2 hr of the replication cycle increased the virus yield to 200%. The burst size of the cyanophage multiplied in Synechococcus sp. in dark was 11% of that of control. The viral multiplication was reduced 2% in the presence of photosynthetic inhibitor, DCMU of $10^{-6}$ M, and nearly blocked in $10^{-4}$ M CCCP. These data suggested that the photosynthetic dependence of the cyanophage is greater than those of LPP-1 and AS-1, and smaller than SM-1.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.437-443
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• 2020

Biological phosphorus removal is accomplished by exposing PAO(phosphorus accumulating organisms) to anaerobic-aerobic conversion conditions. In the anaerobic condition, PAO synthesize PHB(polyhydroxybutyrate) and simultaneously hydrolysis of poly-p resulting phosphorus(Pi) release. In aerobic condition, PAO uptake phosphorus(Pi) more than they have released. In this study, cyanobacteria Synechococcus sp., which is known to be able to synthesize PHB like PAO, was exposed to anaerobic-aerobic conversion. If Synechococcus sp. can remove excess phosphorus by the same mechanism as PAO, synergistic effects can occur through photosynthesis. Moreover, Synechococcus sp. is known to be capable of synthesizing PHB using inorganic carbon as well as organic carbon, so even if the available capacity of organic carbon decreases, it was expected to show stable phosphorus removal efficiency. In 6 hours of anaerobic condition, phosphorus release occurred in both inorganic and organic carbon conditions but SPRR(specific phosphorus release rate) of both conditions was 10 mg-P/g-MLSS/day, which was significantly lower than that of PAO. When converting to aerobic conditions, SPUR(specific phosphorus uptake rate) was about 9 mg-P/g-MLSS/day in both conditions, showing a higher uptake rate than the control condition showing SPUR of 6.4 mg-P/g-MLSS/day. But there was no difference in terms of the total amount of removal. According to this study, at least, it seems to be inappropriate to apply Synechococcus sp. to luxury uptake process for phosphorus removal.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 1993

Highly stable $O_2$-evolving cells and thylakoid membranes have been obtained from the cyanobacterium, Synechococcus PCC7002, by immobilization with polyvinylalcohol(PVA). The absorption peak showed the blue-shift of about 3 nm after immobilization of intact cells and thylakoid membranes as well as isolation of thylakoid membranes. Photosynthetic electron transport activities, especially PS II activity showed greater stability in the PVA-immobilized cells and thylakoid membranes when stored at $4^{\circ}C$ than in those at $25^{\circ}C$. When the cells were threated at higher temperature, the level of Fo and Fv increased. After imobilization, however, Fo showed no change. This suggests that the immobilization can protect against the damages of PS II complex, especially a water-spiliting system, by heat treatment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 2008

Self-splicing group I introns in tRNA anticodon loops have been found in diverse groups of bacteria. In this work, we identified $tRNA^{fMet}$ group I introns in six strains of marine Synechococcus elongatus. Introns with sizes around 280 bp were consistently obtained in all the strains tested. In a phylogenetic analysis using the nucleotide sequence determined in this study with other cyanobacterial $tRNA^{fMet}$ and $tRNA^{Leu}$ intron sequences, the Synechococcus sequence was grouped together with the sequences from other unicellular cyanobacterial strains. Interestingly, the phylogenetic tree inferred from the intronic sequences clearly separates the different tRNA introns, suggesting that each family has its own evolutionary history.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.192-198
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• 2015

Picophytoplankton, a group of tiny microorganisms of less than $3{\mu}m$, play an important role as a major primary producer in tropical open ocean as well as temperate coastal waters. Until now, more than 20 and 10 clades of Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus, respectively, have been identified in various marine environments, and its biogeographical distribution have been well studied as well as ecological niches of its major clades. To understand a distribution of diverse picocyanobacterial clades and environmental factors regulating their distribution, picocyanobacterial abundance and genetic diversity was investigated in adjacent waters of Dokdo showing diverse physical properties not only by seasonal variation but also by diverse physical processes. Synechococcus abundances were low in winter and then exponentially increased as water temperature increased up to $20^{\circ}C$. Above $20^{\circ}C$, the abundances tended to be saturated. On the contrary, Prochlorococcus was undetected or occupied a minor fraction of picocyanobacteria in most seasons. In summer, however, Prochlorococcus belonging to HLII ecotype occupied a significant fraction (up to 7%) of picocyanobacteria. In spring and early summer, the steep increase of Synechococcus abundances were resulted from growth of cold water-adapted Synechococcus belonging to clades I and IV. In summer, diverse Synechococcus clades including warm and pelagic water-favoring clade II tended to replace clades I and IV with maintaining high abundance. The water-column stability as well as temperature were found to be important factors regulating the Synechococcus abundances. Moreover, inflow and mixing of distinct water masses with different origins exerted significant influence on the composition of Synechococcus in the study area. Thus, physical processes as well as natural seasonal variation of environmental factors should be considered to better understand ecology of planktonic organisms around Dokdo.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.93-108
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• 2019

To investigate the temporal-spatial distribution of picophytoplankton in relation to different water masses in the northern East China Sea (ECS), picophytoplankton abundance were investigated using flow cytometry with environmental factors in 2016-2017. The results from the analysis of flow cytometer data showed that Synechococcus appeared across all seasons, exhibiting its minimum abundance in winter and maximum abundance in summer. Furthermore, high abundance was detected in the surface mixed layer during spring and summer when vertical stratification occurs; in particular, Synechococcus exhibited maximum abundance in thermocline layer, indicating a close correlation to water temperature and thermocline formation. In addition, the abundance of Synechococcus indicated a decrease in the western seas in 2017 compared to 2016 under the strong influence of the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW). This was determined by the significant influence of the CDW on the abundance of Synechococcus during summer in the northern waters of the ECS. In contrast, Prochlorococcus did not appear during winter and spring, and its distribution was limited during summer and autumn in the eastern seas under the influence of the Kuroshio current. The largest range of Prochlorococcus distribution was confirmed during autumn without the influence of the CDW. Thus, the distribution pattern of each picophytoplankton genus was found to be changing in accordance to the extension and reduction of sea current in different seasons and periods of time. This is anticipated to be a useful biological marker in understanding the distribution of sea currents and their influence in the northern waters of the ECS.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1243-1253
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• 2008

The seasonal variations of picoplankton including Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus and Picoeukayotes around Ulneung Island were investigated by flow cytometry in spring, summer and autumn in 2006. All groups of picoplankton showed clear seasonal patterns in population abundance. Among the group, Synechococcus showed the most prominent seasonal variation during the study period. The maximal abundance of Synechococcus occurred in summer and the lowest in autumn. The seasonal distribution of Prochlorococcus displayed the reverse tendency with that of Synechococcus. The abundance of Prochlorococcus ranged from $2.9{\times}10^3$ cells/ml in summer to $311{\times}10^3$ cells/ml in autumn. However, the seasonal distribution of Picoeukaryotes was shown to be relatively constant, and the maximal abundance was $81.5{\times}10^3$ cells/ml in summer. The highest abundance of Picoeukaryotes occurred in summer and the lowest in autumn and the seasonal distribution in abundance of Picoeukaryotes showed a similar trend with that of Synechococcus. The estimated total carbon biomass of picoplankton were ranged from $74.7\;mg\;C/m^2$ to $1,055.9\;mg\;C/m^2$. The highest total carbon biomass occurred in summer, but lowest occurred in autumn. The pattern of the contribution of three picoplankton to total autotrophic picoplankton carbon is different. The contribution of Synechococcus to total autotrophic picoplankton carbon is increased to 75%, but the contribution of Prochlorococcus dropped to 12% in summer. The contribution of Picoeukaryotes is ranged from 24% in summer to 72.5% in spring.