Abstract
Previous attempts to isolate auxotrophic mutants of Anacystis nidulans produced only a limited range of phenotypes. The frequency of recovery of auxotrophic mutants has been quantified following different mutagenic and selective treatments, and their yield has been improved by using (1) a complete medium, (2) additional mutagens, (3) multiple cycles of penicillin enrichment and (4) altered pre-enrichment starvation conditions. These modified induction and selection conditions permitted the isolation of mutants defective in nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase or malate dehydrogenase, unable to reduce sulphate, or deficient in the synthesis of biotin, thiamine, paminobenzoate, serine, glutamate, adenine or uracil.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Astier, C., Joset-Espardellier, F., Meyer, I.: Conditions for mutagenesis in the cyanobacterium Aphanocapsa 6714. Influence of repair phenomena. Arch. Microbiol. 120, 93–96 (1979)
Barner, H. D., Cohen, S. S.: The isolation and properties of amino acid requiring mutants of a thymineless bacterium. J. Bacteriol. 74, 350–355 (1957)
Currier, T. C., Haury, J. F., Wolk, C. P.: Isolation and preliminary characterization of auxotrophs of a filamentous cyanobacterium. J. Bacteriol. 129, 1556–1562 (1977)
Delaney, S. F., Dickson, A., Carr, N. G.: The control of homoserine-O-transsuccinylase in a methionine-requiring mutant of the bluegreen alga Anacystis nidulans. J. Gen. Microbiol. 79, 89–94 (1973)
Delaney, S. F., Herdman, M., Carr, N. G.: Genetics of blue-green algae. In: The genetics of algae (R. A. Lewin, ed), pp. 7–28. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications (1976)
Delaney, S. F., Herdman, M., Foulds, I. J., Carr, N. G.: Mutational studies with Anacystis nidulans. Proc. Soc. Gen. Microbiol. II, Part 2 13–14 (1974)
Demerec, M., Adelberg, E. A., Clark, A. J., Hartman, P. E.: A proposal for a uniform nomenclature in bacterial genetics. J. Gen. Microbiol. 50, 1–14 (1968)
Herdman, M., Carr, N. G.: The isolation and characterization of mutant strains of the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans. J. Gen. Microbiol. 70, 213–220 (1972)
Herdman, M., Delaney, S. F., Carr, N. G.: A new medium for the isolation and growth of auxotrophic mutants of the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans. J. Gen. Microbiol. 79, 233–237 (1973)
Ingram, L. O., Pierson, D., Kane, J. F., Van Baalen, C., Jensen, R. A.: Documentation of auxotrophic mutation in blue-green bacteria: characterization of a tryptophan auxotroph in Agmenellum quadruplicatum. J. Bacteriol. 111, 112–118 (1972)
Kaney, A. R.: Enzymatic characterization of a phenylalanine auxotroph of the blue-green bacterium Synechococcus cedrorum. Arch. Mikrobiol. 92, 139–142 (1973)
Kratz, W. A., Myers, J.: Nutrition and growth of several blue-green algae. Amer. J. Bot. 42, 282–287 (1955)
Ladha, J. K., Kumar, H. D.: Genetics of blue-green algae. Biol. Revs. 53, 355–386 (1978)
Loveless, A.: The influence of radiomimetic substances on deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis and function studied in Escherichia coli/phage systems. III. Mutation of T2 bacteriophage as a consequence of alkylation in vitro: the uniqueness of ethylation. Proc. Roy. Soc. Ser. B 150, 497–508 (1959)
Mann, N., Carr, N. G.: Control of macromolecular composition and cell division in the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans. J. Gen. Microbiol. 83, 399–405 (1974)
Ohmori, K., Hattori, A.: Induction of nitrate and nitrite reductases in Anabaena cylindrica. Plant cell Physiol. 11, 873–878 (1970)
Okada, T., Yanagisawa, K., Ryan, F. J.: Elective production of thymine-less mutants. Nature, London 188, 340–341 (1960)
Orgel, L. E.: The chemical basis of mutation. Adv. Enzymol. 27, 289–346 (1965)
Orkwiszewski, K. G., Kaney, A. R.: Genetic transformation of the blue-green bacterium Anacystis nidulans. Arch. Microbiol. 98, 31–37 (1974)
Pearce, J., Carr, N. G.: The metabolism of acetate by the blue-green algae Anabaena variabilis and Anacystis nidulans. J. Gen. Microbiol. 49, 301–313 (1967)
Rippka, R., Deruelles, J., Waterbury, J. B., Herdman, M., Stanier, R. Y.: Generic assignments, strain histories and properties of pure cultures of cyanobacteria. J. Gen. Microbiol. 111, 1–61 (1979)
Singer, R. A., Doolittle, W. F.: Leucine biosynthesis in the blue-green bacterium Anacystis nidulans. J. Bacteriol. 124, 810–814 (1975)
Stanier, R. Y., Kunisawa, R., Mandel, M., Cohen-Bazire, G.: Purification and properties of unicellular blue-green algae (Order Chroococcales). Bacteriol. Rev. 35, 171–205 (1971)
Stevens, C. R. L., Stevens, S. E., Myers, J.: Isolation and initial characterization of a uracil auxotroph of the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans. J. Bacteriol. 124, 247–251 (1975)
Stevens, S. E., Van Baalen, C.: Growth characteristics of selected mutants of a coccoid blue-green alga. Arch. Mikrobiol. 72, 1–8 (1970)
Ting, I. P.: Malic dehydrogenases in corn root tips. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 126, 1–7 (1968)
Van Baalen, C.: Mutation of the blue-green alga, Anacystis nidulans. Science 149, 70 (1965)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Herdman, M., Delaney, S.F. & Carr, N.G. Mutation of the cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans (Synechococcus PCC 6301): Improved conditions for the isolation of auxotrophs. Arch. Microbiol. 124, 177–184 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427724
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427724