Open AccessBuoyant density changes in the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa due to changes in the cellular carbohydrate content
Author(s) -
Kromkamp Jacco C.,
Mur Luuc R.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1984.tb01384.x
Subject(s) - microcystis aeruginosa , microcystis , carbohydrate , chemistry , cyanobacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , biophysics , environmental chemistry , biochemistry , biology , genetics
The cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa was grown in light‐limited chemostat cultures with various light—dark rhythms providing a total periodicity length of 24 h. The buoyant density of the cells changed in parallel with the carbohydrate content. Short incubation experiments with different light intensities, and experiments with the inhibitors iodoacetic acid and arsenate, showed that the buoyant density changes were due to variations in the cellular carbohydrate content. It seems likely that the low dark‐growth yield on carbohydrate, which had been stored during the light period, served to facilitate buoyancy changes.