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Specific Features of Technogenic Pollutants Impact on Photosynthetic Activity of Unicellular Cyanobacteria

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Abstract

The effect of heavy-metal ions (Cd2+, Cr6+, and Cu2+) on cyanobacteria sp. Microcystis and sp. Synechocystis has been studied. Since heavy metals impact causes blocking of light-energy transmission channels and arrest of electron transport in photosynthetic apparatus of cyanobacteria, their influence can be detected within a few hours by fluorescence techniques. In this investigation three standard fluorescence techniques are used: fluorescence spectroscopy, pulsed amplitude modulation fluorimetry, and confocal microscopic spectroscopy. All three used methods showed a decrease in photosynthetic activity for cyanobacterial cells exposed to heavy metals. However, the mechanisms of action for different heavy metals are slightly different. In this paper, we analyze variations in spectroscopic and kinetic properties of emmitted fluorescence for cyanobacterial cultures and single living cells in order to identify a specific mechanism of heavy metals influence.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am grateful to the staff of the Resource Centre “Centre for Culture Collection of Microorganisms” of the Research Park at St. Petersburg State University for providing samples of cyanobacterial strains, as well as the staff of the Resource Centre “Centre for Molecular and Cell Technologies” of the Research Park at St. Petersburg State University for the equipment used in this study.

Funding

This study was carried out within the frames of State Task АААА-А19-119020190099-1, “Identifying New and Poorly Studied Natural and Anthropogenic Ecotoxicants in the Objects of Environment and Studying the Mechanisms of Their Transformation and Effects on Biota.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. St. Petersburg Federal Research Center, Scientific Research Center for Ecological Safety, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia

    N. Yu. Grigoryeva & T. B. Zaytseva

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  1. N. Yu. Grigoryeva
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  2. T. B. Zaytseva
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Correspondence to N. Yu. Grigoryeva.

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Abbreviations: LDA, linear discriminant analysis; OD700, optical density at wave length 700 nm; Chl a, chlorophyll a; PSI, photosystem I; PSII, photosystem II; ETR, electron transfer rate; PAR, photosynthetic active radiation; PC, phycosyanine; and Y(NPQ), quantum efficiency of nonphotochemical fluorescence quenching.

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Grigoryeva, N.Y., Zaytseva, T.B. Specific Features of Technogenic Pollutants Impact on Photosynthetic Activity of Unicellular Cyanobacteria. Inland Water Biol 14, 94–103 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1995082920060061

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