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Effects of nitrogen limitation and starvation on Chroococcidiopsis sp. (Chroococcales)
Author(s) -
BILLI DANIELA,
CAIOLA MARIA GRILLI
Publication year - 1996
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.1469-8137.1996.tb01925.x
Subject(s) - biology , phycocyanin , ultrastructure , biofilm , glycogen , nitrogen , botany , mixotroph , chemistry , cyanobacteria , biochemistry , bacteria , heterotroph , genetics , organic chemistry
summaryChroococcidiopsis sp. cells from hot desert rock (Timna National Park, Israel) were grown in modified BG‐11 medium which was either N‐free or which contained different concentrations of nitrogen, provided as nitrate. The life cycle, ultrastructure and physiological activities of the cyanobacterium were investigated over a period of 4 months. No alterations were detected in cells grown in medium containing 250 or 125 μg N ml −1 . In contrast, cells grown in medium with 62 μg N ml −1 or lacking nitrogen occurred only as isolated viable forms, after 3 months and 1 month of growth, respectively. In these cells a decrease in the content of cellular chlorophyll and phycocyanin paralleled undetectable O 2 evolution and depressed O 2 uptake. In addition, such isolated cells were characterized by a multilayered envelope, whereas, in the cytoplasm, vesiculated thylakoids and glycogen granules were observed. N‐limited and N‐starved cells recovered their cellular organization and physiological activities upon N repletion. These ‘survival’ cells had a spore‐like form, and were functionally comparable to akinetes.