Cyanobacteria
Cyanobacteria - Related Videos
07:04
Determination of the Glycogen Content in Cyanobacteria
0 Views •
Cited by 26 •
2017
Here, we present a reliable and easy assay to measure the glycogen content in cyanobacterial cells. The procedure entails precipitation, selectable depolymerization, and the detection of glucose residues. This method is suitable for both wildtype and genetically engineered strains and can facilitate the metabolic engineering of cyanobacteria.
04:14
Generation of Antibiotic-Marked Mutants in Cyanobacteria via Homologous Recombination
0 Views •
2025
Source: Lea-Smith, D. J., et al. Generation of Marked and Markerless Mutants in Model Cyanobacterial Species. J. Vis. Exp. (2016)The video demonstrates a method for generating antibiotic-marked mutants in cyanobacteria. The protocol begins with culturing cyanobacteria, followed by centrifugation and washing steps that preserve surface pili. A plasmid carrying an antibiotic resistance gene flanked by homologous sequences is then introduced. During incubation, the plasmid is internalized via pili...
03:22
Phototaxis Assay of Filamentous Cyanobacteria Using Focused Light Illumination
0 Views •
2025
Source: Weber, N. et. al., Natural Transformation, Protein Expression, and Cryoconservation of the Filamentous Cyanobacterium Phormidium lacuna. J. Vis. Exp. (2022)This video demonstrates a focused LED-based assay for studying phototaxis in filamentous cyanobacteria. The bacteria migrate toward the light source, forming a dense accumulation at the illuminated center, which is visualized and quantified through pixel intensity analysis of the captured image.
01:30
Bacterial Phylum Cyanobacteria
0 Views •
2025
Cyanobacteria are a diverse group of oxygenic, phototrophic bacteria that played a pivotal role in converting Earth’s atmosphere from anoxic to oxygen-rich billions of years ago. They exhibit remarkable morphological diversity, ranging from unicellular forms to filamentous types, with cell sizes varying between 0.5 μm and 100 μm. Cyanobacteria are classified into five groups: Chroococcales (unicellular, dividing by binary fission), Pleurocapsales (unicellular, dividing by multiple fission),...
06:26
Isolation and Characterization of Intact Phycobilisome in Cyanobacteria
0 Views •
Cited by 4 •
2021
The current protocol details the isolation of phycobilisomes from cyanobacteria by centrifugation through a discontinuous sucrose density gradient. The fractions of intact phycobilisomes are confirmed by 77K fluorescent emission spectrum and SDS-PAGE analysis. The resulting phycobilisome fractions are suitable for negative staining of TEM and mass spectrometry analysis.
FAQs
Within cyanobacterial thylakoid membranes, chlorophyll a and associated pigments capture light energy and support the reactions of oxygenic photosynthesis. The captured energy is converted into chemical energy, which enables carbon dioxide fixation into organic compounds. This membrane-based organization allows cyanobacteria to link light capture, oxygen production, and carbon assimilation within the same photosynthetic system.
Heterocysts are specialized cyanobacterial cells associated with fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. Their activity connects cyanobacterial growth with the nitrogen cycle, adding a function beyond carbon fixation and oxygenic photosynthesis. This specialization helps explain why cyanobacteria are important in ecosystems where nitrogen availability influences biological productivity, although the overview does not specify the cellular mechanism of fixation.
Cyanobacteria provide biological clues about how oxygen-rich environments developed and how chloroplasts evolved. Their oxygen-producing photosynthesis links them to major changes in Earth’s environmental history, while their photosynthetic organization offers context for understanding chloroplast origins. Thus, studying them connects present-day microbial biology with large-scale evolutionary questions in biology.
Nutrient-rich conditions can promote rapid cyanobacterial growth, allowing populations to expand into blooms. Some blooms are harmful, which makes their development relevant to environmental monitoring and public health research. The key concern is not simply increased abundance, but the possible consequences of bloom formation for ecosystems and human interests in affected environments.
Monitoring cyanobacteria helps researchers follow organisms that influence carbon and nitrogen cycling, support food webs, and respond strongly to nutrient-rich conditions. In aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, observations can therefore provide information about ecological function as well as the emergence of potentially harmful blooms. This makes monitoring relevant to both ecosystem assessment and public health research.
Cyanobacteria are studied across environmental monitoring, biotechnology, and public health research. Environmental work considers their roles in carbon and nitrogen cycles and their contribution to food webs. Biotechnology examines their ability to convert light energy into chemical energy and fix carbon, while public health research addresses the significance of harmful blooms.