Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cyclic appearance of aerobic nitrogenase activity during synchronous growth of unicellular cyanobacteria

  • Published:
Current Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aerobic synchronous growth of marine unicellular cyanobacteriaSynechococcus spp., with molecular nitrogen as the sole nitrogen growth nutrient source, was experimentally demonstrated. Cell division synchrony was induced by withholding aeration and illumination for 20 h. Three distinct cell division cycles of approximately 20 h each were observed. During the first cell division cycle, high degrees of synchrony of 78%–86% were observed in the series of cultures studied. The aerobic nitrogenase activity appeared shortly while the cell division was completed and the cell size was still small, and it disappeared after the cells were enlarging photosynthetically. Thus, three distinct cycles in aerobic nitrogenase activity were also observed having approximately the same 20-h interval as the cell division cycle. The peak aerobic nitrogenase activity was determined to be as high as 840–1220 nmol C2H2 reduced per milligram dry weight per hour.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  1. Asato Y (1984) Characterization of cell cycle events in synchronized cultures ofAnacystis nidulans. J Gen Microbiol 130:2535–2542

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bottomley PJ, Stewart WDP (1977) ATP and nitrogenase activity in nitrogen-fixing heterocystous blue-green algae. New Phytol 79:625–638

    Google Scholar 

  3. Csatorday K, Horváth G (1977) Synchronization ofAnacystis nidulans: oxygen evolution during the cell cycle. Arch Microbiol 111:245–246

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Duerr EO, Mitsui A (1981) Aerobic growth characteristics of two marine unicellular nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria. Abstr Annu Meet Am Soc Microbiol 1981:K85

    Google Scholar 

  5. Engelberg J (1964) Measurement of degrees of synchrony in cell populations. In: Zeuthen E (ed) Synchrony in cell division and growth. New York: Interscience, pp 497–508

    Google Scholar 

  6. Fay P (1976) Factors influencing dark nitrogen fixation in a blue-green alga. Appl Environ Microbiol 31:376–379

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Fay P, Kumar HD, Fogg GE (1964) Cellular factors affecting nitrogen fixation in the blue-green algaChlorogloea fritschii. J Gen Microbiol 35:351–360

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Gallon JR (1981) The oxygen sensitivity of nitrogenase: a problem for biochemists and micro-organisms. Trends Biochem Sci 6:19–23

    Google Scholar 

  9. Gallon JR, LaRue TA, Kurz WGW (1974) Photosynthesis and nitrogenase activity in the blue-green algaGloeocapsa. Can J Microbiol 20:1633–1637

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Gleason FK, Ooka MP (1978) Cell cycle and cell wall formation inSynechococcus sp., a unicellular cyanophyte. Cytobiologie 16:224–234

    Google Scholar 

  11. Haystead A, Robinson R, Stewart, WDP (1970) Nitrogenase activity in extracts of heterocystous and nonheterocystous blue-green algae. Arch Mikrobiol 74:235–243

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Herdman M, Faulkner BM, Carr NG (1970) Synchronous growth and genome replication in the blue-green algaAnacystis nidulans. Arch Mikrobiol 73:238–249

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kallas T, Rippka R, Coursin T, Rebiere MC, Tandeau de Marsac N, Cohen-Bazire G (1983) Aerobic nitrogen fixation by nonheterocystous cyanobacteria. In: Papageorgiou GC, Packer L (eds) Photosynthetic prokaryotes: cell differentiation and function. New York: Elsevier, pp 281–302

    Google Scholar 

  14. Kumazawa S, Mitsui A (1981) Characterization and optimization of hydrogen photoproduction by a saltwater blue-green alga,Oscillatoria sp. Miami BG7: I. Enhancement through limiting the supply of nitrogen nutrients. Int J Hydrogen Energy 6:339–348

    Google Scholar 

  15. Lorenzen H, Venkataraman GS (1972) Synchrony in blue-green algae. In: Prescott DM (ed) Methods in cell physiology, vol 5. New York: Academic Press, pp 373–383

    Google Scholar 

  16. Mitsui A (1978) Marine photosynthetic microorganisms as potential energy resources: research on nitrogen fixation and hydrogen production. In: IODC Organizing Committee (ed) Proceedings of the 5th international ocean development conference, vol 1 (B1). Tokyo: IODC Organizing Commitee, pp 29–52

    Google Scholar 

  17. Mitsui A, Phlips EJ, Kumazawa S, Reddy KJ, Ramachandran S, Matsunaga T, Haynes L, Ikemoto H (1983) Progress in research toward outdoor biological hydrogen production using solar energy, sea water and marine photosynthetic microorganisms. Ann NY Acad Sci 413:514–530

    Google Scholar 

  18. Mitsui A, Kumazawa S, Phlips EJ, Reddy KJ, Gill K, Matsunaga T, Renuka BR, Kusumi T, Reyes-Vasquez G, Miyazawa K, Haynes L, Ikemoto H, Duerr E, Leon CB, Rosner D, Sesco R, Moffat E (1986) Mass cultivation of algae and photosynthetic bacteria: concepts and application. In: Ghose TK (ed) Proceedings 7th international biotechnology symposium. New Delhi (in press)

  19. Mullineaux PM, Chaplin AE, Gallon JR (1980) Effects of a light to dark transition on carbon reserves, nitrogen fixation and ATP concentrations in cultures ofGloeocapsa (Gloeothece) sp. 1430/3. J Gen Microbiol 120:227–232

    Google Scholar 

  20. Oppenheim J, Marcus L (1970) Correlation of ultrastructure inAzotobacter vinelandii with nitrogen source for growth. J Bacteriol 101:286–291

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Rippka R, Waterbury JB (1977) The synthesis of nitrogenase by non-heterocystous cyanobacteria. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2:83–86

    Google Scholar 

  22. Sitz TO, Schmidt RR (1973) Purification ofSynechococcus lividus by equilibrium centrifugation and its synchronization by differential centrifugation. J Bacteriol 115:43–46

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Stanier RY, Cohen-Bazire G (1977) Phototrophic prokaryotes: the cyanobacteria. Annu Rev Microbiol 31:225–274

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Stewart WDP (1980) Systems involving blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). In: Bergersen FJ (ed) Methods for evaluating biological nitrogen fixation. New York: John Wiley and Sons, pp 583–635

    Google Scholar 

  25. Takahashi A, Ikemoto H, Mitsui A (1985) Distinct cyclic changes in the activities of aerobic and anaerobic nitrogenase, photo-oxygen evolution, photo-induced oxygen consumption and dark respiration during synchronous growth of unicellular marine blue-green alga,Synechococcus. Abstr Plant Physiol [Suppl] 69:9

    Google Scholar 

  26. Tözüm SRD, Gallon JR (1979) The effects of methyl viologen onGleoocapsa sp. LB795 and their relationship to the inhibition of acetylene reduction (nitrogen fixation) by oxygen. J Gen Microbiol 111:313–326

    Google Scholar 

  27. Turner GL, Gibson AH (1980) Measurement of nitrogen fixation by indirect means. In: Bergersen FJ (ed) Methods for evaluating biological nitrogen fixation. New York: John Wiley and Sons, pp 111–138

    Google Scholar 

  28. Vaara T, Vaara M, Niemelä S (1979) Two improved methods for obtaining axenic cultures of cyanobacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 38:1011–1014

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biology and Living Resources, School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, 33149, Miami, Florida, USA

    Clemencia León, Shuzo Kumazawa &  Akira Mitsui

Authors
  1. Clemencia León
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shuzo Kumazawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Akira Mitsui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

León, C., Kumazawa, S. & Mitsui, A. Cyclic appearance of aerobic nitrogenase activity during synchronous growth of unicellular cyanobacteria. Current Microbiology 13, 149–153 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01568510

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01568510

Keywords

Search

Navigation