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Chroococcus S24 and Chroococcus N41 (cyanobacteria): morphological, biochemical and genetic characterization and effects of water stress on ultrastructure

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Abstract

Two strains of desiccation-tolerant coccoid cyanobacteria, Chroococcus S24, a marine form, and Chroococcus N41, a cryptoendolith isolated from a hot-desert rock, have been characterized.

The mol % DNA base compositions of the strains are 47.1 and 48.9% respectively. Plasmid DNA was not detected in either strain. The pigment contents and nutritional characteristics of the strains are identical. Both lack phycoerythrinoid pigments and, in culture, behave as slow-growing halotolerant marine forms with elevated requirements for Na+, Cl−, Mg2+ and Ca2+. Sucrose was the only carbon source of those tested that supported photoheterotrophic growth. Each strain synthesizes nitrogenase under anaerobic conditions but not in air. Morphologically the two strains are indistinguishable. They are considered to be independent isolates of the same cyanobacterial species.

Chroococcus N41 was studied in detail with the electron microscope. When brought to equilibrium at matric water potentials of-168 MPa and lower (to-673 MPa=c0.12a w) the protoplast shrinks, but the cells maintain the same size and diameter as those at-2,156 kPa (MN medium; control); the sheath expands and remains attached to the cell wall outer membrane by fibrils. The cell wall, cell membrane, thylakoid membranes, cyanophycin granules and carboxysomes appeared intact in desiccated cells.

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Abbreviations

DCMU:

3-3,4-dichlorophenyl 1,1-dimethylurea

SCE:

18% w/v sorbitol, 0.1 M sodium citrate, 10 mM EDTA

SDS:

sodium dodecyl sulfate

SSC:

0.15 M NaCl, 15 mM sodium citrate, PH 7.0

STET, 8% w/v sucrose, 5% w/v Triton X-100:

50 mM EDTA, 50 mM TRIS, pH 8.0

TSED, 25% w/v sucrose, 1 mM EDTA:

50 mM TRIS, pH 8.0

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 32306, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    M. Potts, R. Ocampo-Friedmann, M. A. Bowman & B. Tözűn

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  1. M. Potts
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  2. R. Ocampo-Friedmann
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  3. M. A. Bowman
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  4. B. Tözűn
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Additional information

Certain of these data were reported to the XIII International Congress of Microbiology, Boston, 1982

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Potts, M., Ocampo-Friedmann, R., Bowman, M.A. et al. Chroococcus S24 and Chroococcus N41 (cyanobacteria): morphological, biochemical and genetic characterization and effects of water stress on ultrastructure. Arch. Microbiol. 135, 81–90 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00408014

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00408014

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