This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Long, B. M.
Right arrow Articles by Orr, P. T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Long, B. M.
Right arrow Articles by Orr, P. T.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Long, B. M.
Right arrow Articles by Orr, P. T.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2001, p. 278-283, Vol. 67, No. 1
0099-2240/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/AEM.67.1.278-283.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Cellular Microcystin Content in N-Limited Microcystis aeruginosa Can Be Predicted from Growth Rate

Benedict M. Long,1 Gary J. Jones,2,* and Philip T. Orr2

Department of Botany, La Trobe University, Victoria 3086,1 and CSIRO Land and Water, Indooroopilly, Queensland 4068,2 Australia

Received 25 May 2000/Accepted 11 October 2000

Cell quotas of microcystin (QMCYST; femtomoles of MCYST per cell), protein, and chlorophyll a (Chl a), cell dry weight, and cell volume were measured over a range of growth rates in N-limited chemostat cultures of the toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa MASH 01-A19. There was a positive linear relationship between QMCYST and specific growth rate (µ), from which we propose a generalized model that enables QMCYST at any nutrient-limited growth rate to be predicted based on a single batch culture experiment. The model predicts QMCYST from µ, µmax (maximum specific growth rate), QMCYSTmax (maximum cell quota), and QMCYSTmin (minimum cell quota). Under the conditions examined in this study, we predict a QMCYSTmax of 0.129 fmol cell-1 at µmax and a QMCYSTmin of 0.050 fmol cell-1 at µ = 0. Net MCYST production rate (RMCYST) asymptotes to zero at µ = 0 and reaches a maximum of 0.155 fmol cell-1 day-1 at µmax. MCYST/dry weight ratio (milligrams per gram [dry weight]) increased linearly with µ, whereas the MCYST/protein ratio reached a maximum at intermediate µ. In contrast, the MCYST/Chl a ratio remained constant. Cell volume correlated negatively with µ, leading to an increase in intracellular MCYST concentration at high µ. Taken together, our results show that fast-growing cells of N-limited M. aeruginosa are smaller, are of lower mass, and have a higher intracellular MCYST quota and concentration than slow-growing cells. The data also highlight the importance of determining cell MCYST quotas, as potentially confusing interpretations can arise from determining MCYST content as a ratio to other cell components.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: CRC for Freshwater Ecology, University of Canberra, Building 15, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia. Phone: 61 2 6201 5168. Fax: 61 2 6201 5038.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2001, p. 278-283, Vol. 67, No. 1
0099-2240/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/AEM.67.1.278-283.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Briand, E., Gugger, M., Francois, J.-C., Bernard, C., Humbert, J.-F., Quiblier, C. (2008). Temporal Variations in the Dynamics of Potentially Microcystin-Producing Strains in a Bloom-Forming Planktothrix agardhii (Cyanobacterium) Population. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 3839-3848 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Jahnichen, S., Ihle, T., Petzoldt, T., Benndorf, J. (2007). Impact of Inorganic Carbon Availability on Microcystin Production by Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 6994-7002 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wilson, A. E., Wilson, W. A., Hay, M. E. (2006). Intraspecific Variation in Growth and Morphology of the Bloom-Forming Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 7386-7389 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Tonk, L., Visser, P. M., Christiansen, G., Dittmann, E., Snelder, E. O. F. M., Wiedner, C., Mur, L. R., Huisman, J. (2005). The Microcystin Composition of the Cyanobacterium Planktothrix agardhii Changes toward a More Toxic Variant with Increasing Light Intensity. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 5177-5181 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Janse, I., Kardinaal, W. E. A., Meima, M., Fastner, J., Visser, P. M., Zwart, G. (2004). Toxic and Nontoxic Microcystis Colonies in Natural Populations Can Be Differentiated on the Basis of rRNA Gene Internal Transcribed Spacer Diversity. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 3979-3987 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lyck, S. (2004). Simultaneous changes in cell quotas of microcystin, chlorophyll a, protein and carbohydrate during different growth phases of a batch culture experiment with Microcystis aeruginosa. J PLANKTON RES 26: 727-736 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wiedner, C., Visser, P. M., Fastner, J., Metcalf, J. S., Codd, G. A., Mur, L. R. (2003). Effects of Light on the Microcystin Content of Microcystis Strain PCC 7806. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 1475-1481 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kurmayer, R., Christiansen, G., Chorus, I. (2003). The Abundance of Microcystin-Producing Genotypes Correlates Positively with Colony Size in Microcystis sp. and Determines Its Microcystin Net Production in Lake Wannsee. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 787-795 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»