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CHANGES IN THE MORPHOLOGY AND POLYSACCHARIDE CONTENT OF MICROCYSTIS AERUGINOSA (CYANOBACTERIA) DURING FLAGELLATE GRAZING 1
Author(s) -
Yang Zhou,
Kong Fanxiang,
Shi Xiaoli,
Zhang Min,
Xing Peng,
Cao Huansheng
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.1529-8817.2008.00502.x
Subject(s) - flagellate , microcystis aeruginosa , biology , polysaccharide , extracellular , ultrastructure , extracellular polysaccharide , cyanobacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , extracellular polymeric substance , algae , cell wall , botany , biofilm , bacteria , biochemistry , genetics
To investigate the changes in the morphology and polysaccharide content of Microcystis aeruginosa (Kütz.) Kütz. during flagellate grazing, cultures of M. aeruginosa were exposed to grazing Ochromonas sp. for a period of 9 d under controlled laboratory conditions. M. aeruginosa responded actively to flagellate grazing and formed colonies, most of which were made up of several or dozens of cells, suggesting that flagellate grazing may be one of the biotic factors responsible for colony formation in M. aeruginosa . When colonies were formed, the cell surface ultrastructure changed, and the polysaccharide layer on the surface of the cell wall became thicker. This change indicated that synthesis and secretion of extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) of M. aeruginosa cells increased under flagellate grazing pressure. The contents of soluble extracellular polysaccharide (sEPS), bound extracellular polysaccharide (bEPS), and total polysaccharide (TPS) in colonial cells of M. aeruginosa increased significantly compared with those in single cells. This finding suggested that the increased amount of EPS on the cell surface may play a role in keeping M. aeruginosa cells together to form colonies.