The Effects of Anaerobiosis on Nitrogenase Synthesis and Heterocyst Development by Nostocacean Cyanobacteria

Rippka, Rosmarie; Stanier, Roger Y.

doi:10.1099/00221287-105-1-83

Cited by 103 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 22 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…These results imply an inducible nature of heterocyst envelope thickness in response to PO, which can protect nitrogenase by mediating inward O2 diffusion. Our observation is in agreement with previous reports of poor development of heterocyst walls in Anabaena species under anaerobic or microaerobic conditions (Kulasooriya et al, 1972;Rippka & Stanier, 1978). Heterocyst envelope components, such as the laminated glycolipid layer and the homogeneous polysacc haride layer, have been shown to be important as gas diffusion barriers (Murry & Wolk, 1989).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

“…This phenomenon has not been reported among cyanobacterial heterocysts, except for the observation that in Anabaena spp. the heterocyst envelope is poorly developed under low-PO, and anaerobic conditions (Kulasooriya et al, 1972;Rippka & Stanier, 1978). Only short-term effects of PO, or 02-supersaturation on nitrogenase activity in cyanobacteria have been reported (Murry et al, 1984;Paerl, 1978).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Heterocyst envelope thickness, heterocyst frequency and nitrogenase activity in Anabaena flos-aquae: influence of exogenous oxygen tension

Kangatharalingam

Priscu

Paerl

1992

Journal of General Microbiology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The heterocyst envelope of the N,-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaenaflos-aquae thickened as exogenous 0, partial pressure (PO,) was increased from 5 to 40 kPa. The majority of the thickening occurred in the glycolipid layer area of the envelope. Such thickening appears to be an 0,-induced mechanism for providing a greater 0, diffusion barrier against 0, inhibition of nitrogenase. Nitrogenase activity decreased at PO, levels above ambient (20 kPa), indicating that a thicker envelope is not completely effective as a barrier to 0, diffusion. However, when cultures grown at 10 kPa and 40 kPa PO, were transferred to ambient PO,, the 40 kPa PO, cells showed higher nitrogenase activity 24 h after transfer compared to those grown at 10 kPa or ambient pOz, indicating O,-protection of nitrogenase by thicker heterocyst envelopes. Heterocyst frequency was lowest at 20 kPa 0,.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heterocyst envelope thickness, heterocyst frequency and nitrogenase activity in Anabaena flos-aquae: influence of exogenous oxygen tension

Kangatharalingam

Priscu

Paerl

1992

Journal of General Microbiology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Its identity as an Anabaena sp. was recently confirmed by the isolation of a spontaneous heterocystous mutant, capable of aerobic nitrogen fixation (Rippka & Stanier, 1978). The strain histories are as follows: ATCC 2921 1 PCC 6309 .…”

Section: Genus Anabaena Bory De St Vincent 1822mentioning

confidence: 99%

Generic Assignments, Strain Histories and Properties of Pure Cultures of Cyanobacteria

et al. 1979

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

On the basis of a comparative study of 178 strains of cyanobacteria, representative of this group of prokaryotes, revised definitions of many genera are proposed. Revisions are designed to permit the generic identification of cultures, often difficult through use of the field-based system of phycological classification. The differential characters proposed are both constant and readily determinable in cultured material. The 22 genera recognized are placed in five sections, each distinguished by a particular pattern of structure and development. Generic descriptions are accompanied by strain histories, brief accounts of strain properties, and illustrations; one or more reference strains are proposed for each genus. The collection on which this analysis was based has been deposited in the American Type Culture Collection, where strains will be listed under the generic designations proposed here. I N T R O D U C T I O NThe cyanobacteria constitute one of the largest sub-groups of Gram-negative prokaryotes. As a result of their traditional assignment to the algae, the classification of these organisms was developed by phycologists, working under the provisions of the Botanical Code (Stafleu et al., 1972). Almost entirely on the basis of observations on field materials, about 150 genera and well over lo00 species have been described. The discriminatory properties, both generic and specific, are either structural or ecological, these being virtually the only characters determinable in the field. Types are represented by herbarium specimens or, failing these, by descriptions and illustrations; cultures are not recognized as valid type materials under the Botanical Code.The attempt to identify cyanobacteria in culture through this field-based system of classification leads to many difficulties and ambiguities. The limited and necessarily provisional taxonomic goal of the present article is to redefine certain cyanobacterial genera in such a way that simple and clear-cut generic assignments can be made for cultures. It is based on our experience over the past decade with pure strains representative of all major sub-groups of cyanobacteria. As far as possible, we have attempted to maintain the system of generic nomenclature and the generic definitions now used by phycologists (Bourrelly, 1970;Geitler, 1932;Desikachary, 1959). However, when the discriminatory characters that nominally distinguish two genera are either not determinable on cultures or within the range of variation of a single strain, the existing genera have been combined. Some of the proposed generic definitions include discriminatory characters that have not hitherto received taxo-

show abstract

Section: Heterocyst Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Formation of the thickened heterocyst cell wall can be inhibited by inducing heterocyst differentiation under anaerobic conditions, using an argon atmosphere and adding DCMU to inhibit the photosynthetic production of oxygen (Rippka & Stanier, 1978). Even under these conditions the Mo-Fe protein of nitrogenase is not found in vegetative cells, but is localized to the incompletely formed heterocysts (Murry et al, 1984), and the nitrogenase activity is highly sensitive to oxygen, because the heterocysts lack the thickened cell walls required to exclude the gas (Rippka & Stanier, 1978). N starvation and anaerobiosis, therefore, do not induce nitrogenase synthesis in vegetative cells, implying that the expression of nif genes in heterocystous cyanobacteria has both environmental and developmental components, re-quiring N starvation, anaerobiosis and completion (or at least partial completion) of heterocyst development. This developmental control of nif gene expression has been elegantly demonstrated by Elhai and Wolk (1990) using the luxAB genes, encoding bacterial luciferase, as transcriptional reporters.…”

Section: Heterocyst Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tansley Review No. 107. Heterocyst and akinete differentiation in cyanobacteria

1999

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Effects of Anaerobiosis on Nitrogenase Synthesis and Heterocyst Development by Nostocacean Cyanobacteria

Cited by 103 publications

References 22 publications

Heterocyst envelope thickness, heterocyst frequency and nitrogenase activity in Anabaena flos-aquae: influence of exogenous oxygen tension

Heterocyst envelope thickness, heterocyst frequency and nitrogenase activity in Anabaena flos-aquae: influence of exogenous oxygen tension

Generic Assignments, Strain Histories and Properties of Pure Cultures of Cyanobacteria

Tansley Review No. 107. Heterocyst and akinete differentiation in cyanobacteria

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About