Summary
Short-term manometric experiments with bacteria-free cultures of Anabaena cylindrica showed that the close dependency of nitrogen fixation upon photosynthesis could be temporarily eliminated in nitrogen-starved cells. Initial rates of nitrogen uptake by these cells in the absence of carbon dioxide were equally rapid in the light and dark, decreasing and finally ceasing after two hours. Continued steady nitrogen uptake was only maintained for long periods in the presence of carbon dioxide in the light. In the dark, nitrogen uptake was accompanied by carbon dioxide evolution.
More oxygen was evolved in the light by cells fixing nitrogen than by those incubated under argon. This additional oxygen evolution could be accounted for by extra carbon dioxide fixation in the presence of nitrogen.
Of a number of organic compounds tested, only sodium pyruvate stimulated nitrogen fixation. This stimulation was achieved both in the light and dark and in the presence and absence of carbon dioxide, showing that the role of pyruvate was other than acting as a carbon skeleton.
Three metabolic inhibitors, cyanide and chlorpromazine (chiefly respiratory) and phenylurethane (photosynthetic) differentially inhibited photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation. The latter inhibitor had a more marked effect on photosynthesis while the two chiefly respiratory inhibitors had a stronger effect on nitrogen fixation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen, M. B., and D. I. Arnon: Studies on nitrogen-fixing blue-green algae. I. Growth and nitrogen fixation by Anabaena cylindrica Lemm. Plant Physiol. 30, 366 (1955).
Allison, F. E., S. R. Hoover, and H. J. Morris: Physiological studies with the nitrogen-fixing alga Nostoc muscorum. Bot. Gaz. 98, 433 (1937).
Arnon, D. I., M. Losada, M. Nozaki, and K. Tagawa: Photoproduction of hydrogen, photofixation of nitrogen and a unified concept of photosynthesis. Nature (Lond.) 190, 601 (1961).
Bennett, R., N. Rigopoulos, and R. C. Fuller: The pyruvate phosphoroclastic reaction and light-dependent nitrogen fixation in bacterial photosynthesis. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 58, 762 (1964).
Bulen, W. A., R. C. Burns, and J. R. Lecomte: Nitrogen fixation: hydrosulfite as electron donor with cell-free preparations of Azotobacterivinelandii and Rhodospirillum rubrum. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 53, 532 (1965).
Burris, R. H., and L. C. Wang: Fixation of nitrogen by cell-free preparations from Rhodospirillum rubrum. Plant Physiol. Suppl. 35, XI (1960).
—, and P. W. Wilson: Methods for measurement of nitrogen fixation. Meth. Enzymol. 4, 355 (1957).
Carnahan, J. E., L. E. Mortenson, H. F. Mower, and J. E. Castle: Nitrogen fixation in cell-free extracts of Clostridium pasteurianum. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 38, 188 (1960).
Cobb, H. D., and J. Myers: Experimentally-produced variation in the C/N ratio of nitrogen-fixing blue-green algae. Plant Physiol. Suppl. 37, VII (1962).
——: Comparative studies on nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis in Anabaena cylindrica. Amer. J. Bot. 51, 753 (1964).
Cox, R. M., P. Fay, and G. E. Fogg: Nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis in a subcellular fraction of the blue-green alga Anabaena cylindrica. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 88, 208 (1964).
Dawkins, M. J. R., J. D. Judah, and K. R. Rees: The effect of chloropromazine on the respiratory chain. Biochem. J. 72, 204 (1959).
———: Action of chlorpromazine. Biochem. J. 76, 200 (1960).
Fay, P.: Heterotrophy and nitrogen fixation in Chlorogloea fritschii. J. gen. Microbiol. 39, 11 (1965).
—, and G. E. Fogg: Studies on nitrogen fixation by blue-green algae. III. Growth and nitrogen fixation in Chlorogloea fritschii Mitra. Arch. Mikrobiol. 42, 310 (1962).
Fogg, G. E.: Recent advances in our knowledge of nitrogen fixation by blue-green algae. Bact. Rev. 20, 148 (1961).
—, and J. D. A. Miller: An apparatus for the culture of algae under controlled conditions. J. biochem. microbiol. Technol. Engng. 1, 59 (1959).
—, and Than-Tun: Photochemical reduction of elementary nitrogen in the bluegreen alga Anabaena cylindrica. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 30, 209 (1958).
——: Interrelations of photosynthesis and assimilation of elementary nitrogen in a blue-green alga. Proc. roy. Soc. B 153, 111 (1960).
Hamilton, I. R.: Nitrogen fixation and pyruvate metabolism in Achromobacter. Bact. Proc. 62, 101 (1962).
Kessler, E.: Nitrate assimilation by plants. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 15, 57 (1964).
Kratz, W. A., and J. Myers: Photosynthesis and respiration of three blue-green algae. Plant Physiol. 30, 275 (1955).
Magee, W. F., and R. H. Burris: Fixation of nitrogen and utilisation of combined nitrogen by Nostoc muscorum. Amer. J. Bot. 41, 777 (1954).
Mortenson, L. E.: Ferredoxin and ATP, requirements for nitrogen fixation in cell-free extracts of Clostridium pasteurianum. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 52, 272 (1964).
Myers, J.: Culture of unicellular algae. Manometric techniques for measuring photosynthesis. Encyclop. of Plant Physiol. 5, part I, 211, Edit. W. Ruhland. Berlin, Göttingen, Heidelberg: Springer 1960.
Norris, L., R. E. Norris, and M. Calvin: A survey of the rates and products of short-term photosynthesis in plants of nine phyla. J. exp. Bot. 6, 64 (1955).
Pardee, A. B.: Measurement of oxygen uptake under controlled pressures of carbon dioxide. J. biol. Chem. 179, 1085 (1949).
Pratt, D. C., and A. W. Frenkel: Studies on nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis in Rhodospirillum rubrum. Plant Physiol. 34, 333 (1959).
Wall, J. S., A. C. Wagenknecht, J. W. Newton, and R. H. Burris: Comparison of the metabolism of ammonia and molecular nitrogen in photosynthesising bacteria. J. Bact. 63, 563 (1952).
Wolfe, M.: The effect of molybdenum on nitrogen metabolism of Anabaena cylindrica. II. A more detailed study of the action of molybdenum in nitrate assimilation. Ann. Bot. 18, 309 (1954).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cox, R.M. Physiological studies on nitrogen fixation in the blue-green alga anabaena cylindrica. Archiv. Mikrobiol. 53, 263–276 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446673
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446673