Skip to main content
Log in

Analysing diversity among Indian isolates of Anabaena (Nostocales, Cyanophyta) using morphological, physiological and biochemical characters

  • Original paper
  • Published:
World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A set of 24 strains belonging to the genus Anabaena (Phylum Cyanobacteria), isolated from diverse geographic locations in India, were evaluated along with three International type strains of Anabaena (ATCC 29414, ATCC 29208 and ATCC 27899) for their morphological, physiological and biochemical diversity. The morphological dataset, consisting of 58 variants for 15 characters, and SDS-PAGE protein profiles comprising 17 polymorphic bands were utilized to differentiate the selected Anabaena strains and explore the patterns of diversity through cluster analysis. Physiological and biochemical characterization with respect to nitrogen fixation and accumulation of chlorophyll and phycobiliproteins led to the identification of some highly promising Anabaena strains for use as biofertilizers and source of pigments. The study highlighted the tremendous inter and intraspecific diversity within the Anabaena isolates and indicated the potential as well as constraints of the morphological and protein profiling datasets for unambiguous differentiation and analyses of diversity among the Anabaena strains.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bennett A, Bogorad L (1971) Properties and subunits of blue-green algal biliproteins. Biochemistry 10:3625–3634

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Desikachary TV (1959) Cyanophyta, ICAR Monographs on Algae. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, pp 686

  • Geitler L (1932) Cyanophyceae. In: Rabenhorst L (ed) Kryptogamen flora van Deutschland, Osterrich und der Schweiz, vol XIV. Academische Verlags, Leipzig, pp 1–196

  • Henson BJ, Hesselbrock SM, Watson LE, Barnum SR (2004) Molecular phylogeny of the heterocystous cyanobacteria (subsections IV and V) based on nifD. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 54:493–497

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herbert D, Phipps PJ, Strange RE (1971) Chemical analysis of microbial cells. In: Methods in microbiology, vol V. Academic Press, New York, pp 209–344

  • Hiroki M, Shimizu ALR, Watanabe M, Watanabe MM (1998) Development of database system useful for identification of Anabaena sp. (Cyanobacteria). Phycol Res 46:85–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jensen A (1978) Chlorophylls and carotenoids. In: Hellebust JA, Craige JS (eds) Physiological and biochemical methods. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 59–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Jewell WJ, Kulasooriya SA (1970) The relation of acetylene reduction to heterocyst frequency in blue-green algae. J Exp Bot 21(4):874–880

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Komarek J, Anagnostidis K (1989) Modern approach to the classification system of cyanophytes 4 -Nostocales. Arch Hydrobiol Suppl 83. (Algological Studies) 56:247–345

    Google Scholar 

  • Laemmli UK (1970) Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature 227:680–685

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li R, Yokota A, Sugiyama J, Watanabe M, Hiroki M, Watanabe MM (1998) Chemotaxonomy of planktonic cyanobacteria based on non-polar and 3-hydroxy-fatty acid composition. Phycol Res 46:21–28

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lyra C, Hantula J, Vainio E, Rapala J, Rouhiainen L, Sivonen K (1997) Characterization of cyanobacteria by SDS-PAGE of whole cell proteins and PCR/RFLP of the 16S rRNA gene. Arch Microbiol 168:176–184

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lyra C, Suomelainen S, Gugger M, Vezie C, Sundman P, Paulin L, Sivonen K (2001) Molecular characterization of planktic cyanobacteria of Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Microcystis and Planktothrix genera. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 51:513–526

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mackinney G (1941) Absorption of light by chlorophyll solutions. J Biol Chem 140:315–322

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammadi SA, Prasanna BM (2003) Analysis of genetic diversity in crop plants—salient statistical tools and considerations. Crop Sci 43:1235–1248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ordog V, Stirk WA, Lenobel R, Bancirova, Strnad M, Staden J, Szigeti J, Nemeth L (2004) Screening microalgae for some potentially useful agricultural and pharmaceutical secondary metabolites. J Appl Phycol 16:309–314

  • Palinska KA, Liesack W, Rhiel E, Krubein WE (1996) Phenotype variability of identical genotypes: the need for a combined approach in cyanobacterial taxonomy demonstrated on Merismopedia like isolates. Arch Microbiol 66:224–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prasanna R, Tripathi U, Dominic TK, Singh AK, Yadav AK, Singh PK (2003) An improvised technique for measurement of nitrogen fixation by blue green algae and Azolla using intact soil cores. Exp Agric 39:145–150

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rajaniemi P, Hrouzek P, Kastovska K, Willame R, Rantala A, Hoffmann L, Komarek J, Sivonen K (2005) Phylogenetic and morphological evaluation of the genera Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Trichormus and Nostoc (Nostocales, cyanobacteria). Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 55:11–26

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rippka R, Herdman M (1992) Pasteur culture collection of cyanobacteria: catalogue and taxonomic handbook. vol I, catalogue of strains. Institut Pasteur, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Rippka R, Castentholtz RW, Iteman I, Herdman M (2001) Form—genus I. Anabaena Bory. In: Boone DR, Castenholtz WR (eds) Bergey’s manual of systematic bacteriology, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • 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

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez H, Rivas J, Guerrero MG, Losada M (1989) Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium with high phycoerythrin content. Appl Environ Microbiol 59:758–760

    Google Scholar 

  • Sneath PHA, Sokal RR (1973) Numerical taxonomy. Freeman, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanier RY, Kunisawa R, Mandel M, Cohen-Bazire G (1971) Purification and properties of unicellular blue-green algae (order Chroococcales). Bacteriol Rev 35:171–205

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stulp BK, Stam WT (1982) General morphology and akinete germination of a number of Anabaena strains (Cyanophyceae) in culture. Arch Hydrobiol Suppl. 63, (Algological Studies) 30:35–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkataraman GS (1972) Algal biofertilizers and rice cultivation. Today and Tomorrow Printers, Haryana, India

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolk CP, Ernst A, Elhai J (1994) Heterocyst metabolism and development. In: Bryant DA (ed) The molecular biology of cyanobacteria. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 769–823

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The study was undertaken as a part of the AP Cess Fund Project, granted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi. We thank the authorities of the Centre for Conservation and Utilization of Blue Green Algae (CCUBGA), IARI, New Delhi, for providing necessary facilities for undertaking this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Radha Prasanna.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nayak, S., Prasanna, R., Prasanna, B.M. et al. Analysing diversity among Indian isolates of Anabaena (Nostocales, Cyanophyta) using morphological, physiological and biochemical characters. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 23, 1575–1584 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-007-9403-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-007-9403-x

Keywords

Navigation