Abstract
Molybdenum deficiency and accumulation was examined in Anabaena oscillarioides (Cyanobacteria). Molybdenum deficiency was induced by: 1) culturing the cyanobacterium on modified Chu-10 (-N) medium containing 4–5 ng Mo · l−1, or 2) adding tungsten to reversibly inactivate dinitrogenase. Stimulation of dinitrogenase activity, while heterocyst frequencies were decreasing, occurred in the range of 5–40 ng · l−1 of added Mo. Molybdenum deficient A. oscillarioides was able to deplete Mo in the medium. This ability was rapidly lost at higher concentrations of added Mo when this cyanobacterium started to accumulate Mo. These results are of potential use in predicting potential Mo limitation in natural environments.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Axler, R. P., Gersber, R. M. & C. R. Goldman, 1980. Stimulation of nitrate uptake and photosynthesis by molybdenum in Castle Lake, California. Can. J. Fish. Aq. Sci. 37: 707–712.
Bachmann, R. & C. R. Goldman, 1964. The determination of microgram quantities of molybdenum in natural waters. Limnol. Oceanogr. 9: 143–146.
Burnison, B. K., 1980. Modified DMSO extraction for chlorophyll a determination of phytoplankton. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 37: 729–733.
Chu, S. P., 1942. The influence of the mineral composition of the medium on the growth of planktonic algae. I. Methods and culture media. J. Ecol. 31: 109–148.
Eady, R. R. & R. L. Robson, 1983. Nitrogenase activity in Mo-limited chemostat cultures of Azotobacter Vinelandii has an altered substrate specificity. Edit. C. Veeger & W. E. Newton, Advances in Nitrogen Fixation. Nyhof/Junk p. 251.
Elliott, B. B. & L. E. Mortenson, 1976. Regulation of Molybdate transport by Clostridium pasteurianum. J. Bacteriol. 127: 770–779.
Elliott, B. B., 1977. Molybdenum storage component from Costridium pasteurianum. Edit. W. Newton, J. R. Postgate & C. J.Rodriguez-Barrueco, Recent Developments in Nitrogen Fixation, Academic Press, London pp. 205–217.
Evans, H. J., E. R. Purvis & F. E. Bear, 1951. Effect of soil reaction on availability of Molybdenum. Soil Sci. 71: 117–124.
Fay, P. & L. de Vasconcelos, 1974. Nitrogen metabolism and ultrastructure in Anabaena cylindrica. II The effect of Molybdenum and Vanadium. Arch. Microbiol. 99: 221–230.
Goldman, C. R., 1960. Molybdenum as a factor limiting primary productivity Castle Lake, California. Science 132: 1016–1017.
Groth, P., 1971. Untersuchungen uber einige Spurenelemente in Seen. Arch. Hydrobiol. 68: 305–375.
Howarth, R. W. & J. L. Cole, 1985. Molybdenum availability, nitrogen limitation and phytoplankton growth in natural waters. Science 229: 653–655.
Kline, C. H., 1960. Trace elements. Reclaiming acres with ounces. Agric. Food Chem. 2: 404–408.
Kumar, A. & H. D. Kumar, 1980. Tungsten-induced inactivation of molybdoenzymes in Anabaena. Biochem. Biophys. Acta 613: 244–248.
Lam, K., 1978. Dynamics of blue-green algal populations in the Waikato River, New Zealand. Ph. D. thesis, University of Auckland, N.Z., 69 pp.
Nagatani, H. H. & R. Haselkorn, 1978. Molybdenum independence of nitrogenase component synthesis in the nonheterocystous cyanobacterium Plectonema. J. Bacteriol. 134: 597–605.
Nasov, A., K. Y. Lee, S. S. Pan, P. A. Ketchum, A. Lamberti & J. DeVries, 1977. In vitro formation of assimilatory reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate; Nitrate reductase from a Neurospora mutant and a component of Molybdenum enzymes. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 68: 3242–3246.
Nicholas, D. J. & A. H. Fielding, 1950. Use of Aspergillus niger as a test organism for determining Molybdenum available in soils to crop plants. Nature 166: 342–343.
Paerl, H. W., 1982. In situ H2 production and utilization by natural populations of N2-fixing algae. Canad. J. of Bot. 60: 2542–2546.
Pienkos, P. T. & W. J. Brill, 1976. Molybdenum uptake in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Azotobacter vinelandii. Abstracts Annual Meeting American Society for Microbiology p. 164.
Quin, B. F. & R. R. Brooks, 1975. The rapid colorimetric determination of Molybdenum with dithiol in biological, geochemical and steel samples. Anal. Chim. Acta 74: 75.
Renkes, P. T., V. K. Shah & W. J. Brill, 1977. Molybdenum cofactors from molybdoenzymes and in vitro reconstitution of nitrogenase and nitrate reductase. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 74: 5468–5471.
Steeg, P. F. ter, P. J. Hanson & H. W. Paerl, 1984. Molybdenum levels and their relation to nitrogen-fixing Anabaena oscillarioides. A method to determine molybdenum in algal species using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry, doctoral thesis of P. F. ter Steeg, Dep. of Microbiology, Free University, NL, 41 pp.
Stewart, W. D. P., G. P. Fitzgerald & R. H. Burris, 1968. Acetylene reduction by blue-green algae. Arch. Microbiol. 62: 336–348.
Tyagi, V. V. S., 1974. Stimulation of growth of Anabaena doliolum by sodium tungstate. Ann. Bot. 38: 485–491.
Ugalde, R. A., J. Imperial, V. K. Shah & W. J. Brill, 1984. Role of the NifQ gene product in the incorporation of molybdenum into nitrogenase in Klebsiella pneumoniae. J. Bacteriol. 158: 187–194.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
ter Steeg, P.F., Hanson, P.J. & Paerl, H.W. Growth-limiting quantities and accumulation of molybdenum in Anabaena oscillarioides (Cyanobacteria). Hydrobiologia 140, 143–147 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00007567
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00007567