Abstract
Frequency of heterocytes and nitrogenase activity (NA) under light and dark cultivation conditions was determined in 12 cyanobacterial strains isolated from various soil habitats. In spite of a high variability, significant differences in NA among the strains were found in response of light and dark cultivation. Relatively high NA (9.9–15.3 µmol/h C2H4 per g fresh mass) under light conditions and basal NA after 12 h of dark cultivation were detected inAnabaena, Nodularia, Tolypothrix, and 1 ofCylindrospermum strains. On the other hand, significantly lower NA (0.76–5.4 µmol/h C2H4 per g fresh mass) was found under light conditions inTrichormus, Nostoc and anotherCylindrospermum strain; the activity completely disappeared after 12 h of dark cultivation. NA values were not directly related to the frequency of the heterocytes. The total NA of cyanobacterial colony was found to be probably independent of the number and/or position of heterocytes. Remarkable differences in NA between strains isolated from cultivated fields and strains originating from natural or non-cultivated soils were found.
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The research was supported by the Research Plan of theInstitute of Soil Biology (no. Z6066911). Ms. L. Jišová is greatly acknowledged for help with laboratory analyses.
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Hrouzek, P., Lukešová, A. & Šimek, M. Comparison of light and dark nitrogenase activity in selected soil cyanobacteria. Folia Microbiol 49, 435–440 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931606
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931606