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Sulphate‐limited growth in the N 2 ‐fixing unicellular cyanobacterium Gloeothece (Nägeli) sp. PCC 6909
Author(s) -
ORTEGACALVOH JOSEJULIO,
STAL LUCAS J.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1994.tb04011.x
Subject(s) - nitrogenase , cyanobacteria , diazotroph , nitrogen fixation , sulfur , botany , nitrogen , growth medium , nutrient , biology , chemistry , food science , biochemistry , bacteria , ecology , organic chemistry , genetics
summary The unicellular diazotrophic cyanobacterium Gloeothece PCC 6909 was grown in batch and continuous culture, It was found that the organism scavenged sulphate from the medium and incorporated it in the polysaccharide sheath. As a result batch cultures became sulphur‐depleted whilst continuous cultures were sulphur‐limited. This was observed regardless of the nitrogen source of the culture. Sulphur‐depletion was the reason for the low nitrogenase activities usually observed in batch cultures of Gloeothece . Sulphate‐amended cultures showed sustained high nitrogenase activity in the light. Sulphate uptake from the medium was light‐dependent. Earlier work on N 2 fixation in Gloeothece is discussed in the light of possible sulphur limitation.