Abstract
Gloeothece sp. PCC 6909 is a unicellular, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium that accumulates sulfate in its sheath. An ultrastructural study of sulfate-deficient and normal Gloeothece sp. PCC 6909 cells was carried out. The physiological alterations, caused by sulfur starvation, were related to important morphological alterations in the cell: a structureless sheath, accumulation of cyanophycin, polyhydroxybutyrate and glycogen granules, and disintegration of thylakoidal membranes. Most of these changes were reversed by the addition of sulfate to the culture medium. The important role of sulfate in the sheath structure was demonstrated.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen MN, Hutchinson F, Weathers P (1980) Cyanophycin polypeptide formation and degradation in the cyanobacterium Aphanocapsa 6308. J Bacteriol 141:687–693
Gallon JR, Perry SM, Rajab TMA, Flayeh KAM, Yunes JS, Chaplin AE (1988) Metabolic changes associated with the diurnal pattern of N2 fixation in Gloeothece. J Gen Microbiol 134:3079–3087
Hernandez-Marine M (1992) A simple way to encapsulate small samples for processing for TEM. J Microsc 168:203–206
Lange W (1976) Speculation on a possible essential function of the gelatinous sheath of blue-green algae. Can J Microbiol 22:1181–1185
Lawry NH, Jensen TE (1979) Deposition of condensed phosphate as an effect of varying sulfur deficiency in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. Arch Microbiol 120:1–7
Lawry NH, Simon RD (1982) The normal and induced occurrence of cyanophycin inclusion bodies in several blue-green algae. J Physiol 18:391–399
Ortega-Calvo JJ, Stal LJ (1994) Sulphate-limited growth in the N2-fixing unicellular cyanobacterium Gloeothece (Nageli) sp. PCC 6909. New Phytol 128:273–281
Rippka R, Neilson A, Kunisawa R, Cohen-Bazire G (1971) Nitrogen fixation by unicellular blue-green algae. Arch Microbiol 76:341–348
Rippka R, Deruelles J, Waterbury JB, Herdman M, Stanier RY (1979) Generic assignments, strain histories and properties of pure cultures of cyanobacteria. J Gen Microbiol 111:1–61
Schmidt A, Erdle I, Köst P (1982) Changes of c-phycocyanin in Synechococcus 6301 in relation to growth on various sulfur compounds. Z Naturforsch [C] 37:870–876
Stal LJ (1992) Poly(hydroxyalkanoate) in cyanobacteria: an overview. FEMS Microbiol Rev 103:169–180
Tease B, Walker RW (1987) Comparative composition of the sheath of the cyanobacterium Gloeothece ATCC 27152 cultured with and without combined nitrogen. J Gen Microbiol 133:331–339
Tease B, Jürgens UJ, Golecki JR, Heinrich, UR, Rippka R, Weckesser J (1991) Fine-structural and chemical analyses on inner and outer sheath of the cyanobacterium Gloeothece sp. PCC 6909. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 59:27–34
Tischer RG, Davis EB (1971) The effect of various nitrogen sources upon the production of extracellular polysaccharide by the blue green alga Anabaena flos-aquae A37. J Exp Botany 22:546–551
Vaara T (1982) The outermost surface structures in chroococcacean cyanobacteria. Can J Microbiol 28:929–941
Wanner G, Henkelmann G, Schmidt A, Köst HP (1986) Nitrogen and sulfur starvation of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus 6301. An ultrastructural, morphometrical and biochemical comparison. Z Naturforsch [C] 41:741–750
Weckesser J, Broll C, Adhikary SP, Jürgens UJ (1987) 2-O-Methyl-d-xylose-containing sheath in the cyanobacterium Gloeothece sp. PCC 6501. Arch Microbiol 147:300–303
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ariño, X., Ortega-Calvo, JJ., Hernandez-Marine, M. et al. Effect of sulfur starvation on the morphology and ultrastructure of the cyanobacterium Gloeothece sp. PCC 6909. Arch. Microbiol. 163, 447–453 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00272134
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00272134