ISSN:
1572-8773
Keywords:
Hg2+ toxicity
;
cyanobacterium
;
Nostoc calcicola
;
growth
;
photopigments
;
nucleic acids
;
photosynthesis
;
membrane integrity
;
nutrient uptake
;
enzymes
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
Abstract Toxicological responses of the filamentous N2-fixing cyanobacteriumNostoc calcicola Bréb. towards Hg2+ were studied to enumerate the decisive lethal events. In low-dose, long-term experiments (0.05–0.25 μm Hg2+, 10 days), photoautotrophic growth was severely inhibited with concurrent loss of photosynthetic pigments (phycocyanin〉chlorophyll α〉carotenoids) and nucleic acids. The termination of growth after a day 4 exposure to 0.25 μm Hg2+ has been attributed to the complete inhibition ofin vivo photosynthetic activity in the cyanobacterium (O2 evolution〉14CO2 incorporation). The elevated Hg2+ concentrations irreversibly damaged the cell membrance as observed under light microscopy, and as indicated by the leakage of intracellular electrolytes and phycocyanin. In high-dose, short-term experiments (0.5–20.0 μm Hg2+, up to 6 h), thein vivo activities of selected enzymes (glutamine synthetase 〉 nitrate reductase 〉 nitrogenase) were less inhibited by Hg2+ than the uptake of nutrient ions (NH 4 + 〉NO 3 − 〉PO 4 3− ).
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01061321
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