Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Trichormus variabilis of the Lake Baikal phytoplankton

• Published in: Microbiology (New York) Vol. 77; no. 6; pp. 726 - 733
• Main Authors: Gladkikh, A. S, Belykh, O. I, Klimenkov, I. V, Tikhonova, I. V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01-12-2008; SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica
• Subjects: Anabaena variabilis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cyanobacteria; Experimental Articles; Life Sciences; Medical Microbiology; Microbiology; Trichormus; Russia, Siberia, Baykal L; nitrogen fixation; H gene; cyanobacteria; toxins; 16S rRNA gene
• ISSN: 0026-2617; 1608-3237
• DOI: 10.1134/S0026261708060118

A new filamentous cyanobacterial strain BAC 9610 was isolated from the lake Baikal pelagial. Data obtained by light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy, along with 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, allowed the bacterium identification as Trichormus variabilis, previously known as Anabaena variabilis. Trichormus is a cyanobacterial genus not presented in the list of Baikal plankton algae; A. variabilis also hasn't been previously detected in Baikal phytoplankton. T. variabilis nitrogen fixation ability was demonstrated. The gene responsible for nitrogen fixation, nifH, was identified by PCR and was partially sequenced. No hepatotoxin synthesis genes were revealed in the strain.