Royal College of Science Narowal: Cyanobacteria

Royal College of Science Narowal
Topic
Cyanobacteria
Course Code: BOT-101
Submitted To: Miss Ayesha Mehmood
Submitted By: Iram Maqsood
Class: BS- Zoology
Semester:
1st
Session: 2020-2024
Table of Contents
1.1 Definition
1.2 Introduction
1.3 Cell type
1.4 Cell Structure
1.5 Types of Cyanobacteria
1.6 Reproduction in Cyanobacteria

1.1 Definition
Cyanobacteria are any of a phylum of photosynthetic bacteria that live in water or damp
soil and were once thought to be plants.
The name “cyanobacteria” comes from the color of the bacteria (Greek: κυανός (kyanós)
= blue). Cyanobacteria (which are prokaryotes) used to be called “blue-green algae”.
They have been renamed ‘cyanobacteria’ in order to avoid the term “algae”, which in
modern usage is restricted to eukaryotes.
1.2 Introduction
The cyanobacteria contain a specific type of chlorophyll called chlorophyll a and other
pigments that are used for photosynthesis. The chlorophylls and pigments efficiently
capture specific wavelengths of light, transferring the light energy to the cell. The
bacteria create energy through photosynthesis, and they exist near the surface of most
any water. Oceans, rivers, streams, and puddles house them; even some glaciers and mud
have been found to contain small colonies.
One common pigment is phycocyanin, which is a blue color (‘cyan’ means dark blue).
This is the origin of the ‘cyano’ in the name ‘cyanobacteria,’ and this pigment, in
conjunction with the green chlorophyll, is the source of the common name ‘blue-green
algae.’ It is important to note, however, that cyanobacteria are not a species of algae.
Cyanobacteria may exist as individual cells or as filaments, and some species live in
colonies. Many species secrete a mucilaginous substance that binds the cells or filaments
together in colored (often bluish-green) masses.
Cyanobacteria exist today in some 7,500 species, many of which are symbiotes, and
have lived on Earth for 2.7 billion years. Since all species produce oxygen as a byproduct
of metabolism, it is thought that much of Earth’s atmospheric oxygen can be attributed to
cyanobacteria. Many species can also fix nitrogen andso play an important role in the
nitrogen.cycle.
1.3 Cell Type
They are true prokaryotes. They lack true nucleus and nuclear membrane.
1.4 Cell Structure

Cell has following parts:
1. Cell wall and mucilaginous sheath:

They have primitive cell types. Cell is surrounded by cell wall. Cell wall is composed of
cellulose and pectic substances. Mucilage form sheath around the cell. Sheath increases the
water holding capacity of cell. The colour of sheath protects the cell from strong light.
2. Protoplast:
Protoplast is divided into two parts:
(a) Centroplasm:
 The central region is colourless called centroplasm.
 Centroplasm has central body. It contains chromatin material.
 Nuclear material is not present in the form of chromosome.
 It is present in the form of crystalline granules.
 It may be called primitive nucleus.
 But it lack nuclear membrane and nucleolus.
(b) Chromoplasm:
 The outer region is blue green pigmented. It is called chromoplasm.
 Chromoplasm contain pigments chlorophyll, carotine, myxothanhophyll and
phycocyanin. It also contains oil droplets and glycogen.
 Certain gas vesicles are also present in it.
3. Photosynthetic system:
 Their photosynthetic system is closely resembled to the eukaryotes.

 They have chlorophyll and photosystem II.
 They use water as electron donor. They release oxygen during photosynthesis.
 Therefore, they carry out oxygenic photosynthesis.
 They use phycobilins as accessory pigments.
 Photosynthetic pigments and electron transport chain components are located within
the thylakoid membrane.
 These pigments are linked with particles phycobilisomes. A blue
pigment Phycoeyanin is their predominant phycobilins.Cyanobacteria fix
CO2 through the Calvin Cycle.
4. Heterocysts:
The filaments of some cyanobacteria have special cells called heterocysts. They are enlarged
barrel shaped cells. There are different views about the nature of heterocysts.
 According to one view, they are vestigial spores.

 According to second view heterocysts have role in nitrogen fixation.
1.5 Types of Cyanobacteria

Based on their shape, known more formally as their “morphology,” cyanobacteria have
been classified into five groups:
1. Chroococcales
2. Pleurocapsales
3. Oscillatoriales
4. Nostocales
5. Stigonematales.
1.6 Reproduction in Cyanobacteria:

Sexual reproduction is completely absent in cyanobacteria. It eproduces asexually by following
methods:
a) Binary fission:
It is a simple cell division. The genetic material replicates. They move to opposite poles. A
ring like outgrowth appears in the middle of the cell. It divides the cell into two.
b) Fragmentation:
The filament of the cyanobacteria breaks to from small fragments. Each filament grows to
form new colony.
c) Hormogonia: The broken pieces of a filament are called hormogonia. Double concave

discs of gelatinous material are formed between two cells. It is called separation disc. The
filaments break at these points and form hormogonia.
d) Hormospores: Under unfavourable conditions, some hormogonia develop thick wall. They

are called hormospores. They germinate directly into new filament in favorable conditions.
e) Plancocci: These are single celled hormongones. They show Creeping movements.

Plancocci develop new colony.
f) Spore formation:
There are following types of spores:
 Akinetes or arthrospores:
Akinetes are thick walled, enlarge reproductive cells. The cell stores reserve food and enlarans.
It secretes thick wall and become akinete. Akinete has outer wall exospore and inner wall
endospore. They are yellow or brown coloured. The akinete germinate immediately after
raining.
 Endospores:
Some cyanobacteria develop endospores. The protoplast of certain cells divides and develops
endospores. The old cell wall burst and endospores come out.
 Exospores:
They are cut out at the tip of some branches. They get separated and develop new filament.
REFERENCES:
1. Hogfors, H., Motwani, N.H., Hajdu, S., El-Shehawy, R., Holmborn, T.,
Vehmaa, A., Engström-Öst, J., Brutemark, A. and Gorokhova, E., 2014.
Bloom-forming cyanobacteria support copepod reproduction and
development in the Baltic Sea. PLoS One, 9(11), p.e112692
2. https://biologyboom.com/cyanobacteria/
3. Castenholz R.W., 2015. General Characteristics of the cyanobacteria.

Bergey’s Manual of Systematics of Archaea and Bacteria, pp.1-23

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Royal College of Science Narowal

Submitted To: Miss Ayesha Mehmood

Submitted By: Iram Maqsood

Class: BS- Zoology

1.3 Cell type

1.4 Cell Structure

1.5 Types of Cyanobacteria

1.6 Reproduction in Cyanobacteria

1.4 Cell Structure

1. Cell wall and mucilaginous sheath:

 Their photosynthetic system is closely resembled to the eukaryotes.

 According to one view, they are vestigial spores.

1.5 Types of Cyanobacteria

1.6 Reproduction in Cyanobacteria:

c) Hormogonia: The broken pieces of a filament are called hormogonia. Double concave

d) Hormospores: Under unfavourable conditions, some hormogonia develop thick wall. They

e) Plancocci: These are single celled hormongones. They show Creeping movements.

3. Castenholz R.W., 2015. General Characteristics of the cyanobacteria.

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