General Characteristics of Cyanophyceae

GENERAL
CHARACTERISTI
CS OF
CYANOPHYCEAE
S.PREETHI
20PBO101
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION
KINGDOM : EUBACTERIA
SUBKINGDOM :NEGIBACTERIA
PHYLUM: CYANOBACTERIA
CLASS: CYANOPHYCEAE
Reference: https://www.algaebase.org/browse/taxonomy/?id=4351
INTRODUCTION
 Cyanophyceae is a primitive group of algae, consists of

150 genera and about 2,500 species.
 In India, the division is represented by 98 genera and

about 833 species.
 Members of the class Myxophyceae (Cyanophyceae) are

commonly known as blue green algae.
 The name blue green algae is given because of the

presence of a dominant pigment c-phycocyanin, the blue
green pigment.
 In addition, other pigments like chlorophyll a
(green), c-phycoerythrin (red), β-carotene and
different xanthophylls are also present.
 The reserve food material are stored as

Cyanophycean starch and glycogen
 The members of this class are the simplest living

autotrophic prokaryotes.
 It includes 5 orders namely Chroococcales,

Nostocales, Chamaesiphonales, Stigonematales,
Pleurocapsales.
MORPHOLOGY OF CYANOPHYCEAN ALGAE
Blue-green algae can be separated into unicellular,

colonial and filamentous forms.
 Unicellular Form:
The cells of unicellular algae are usually
spherical (Chroococcus), or cylindrical
(Synechococcus) and each remains separate usually
within a well-defined mucilagenous sheath.
Chroococcus Synechococcus
 Colonial Form:
The cells remain aggregated after cell division to
form distinct colonies. They may be
1) Irregular in shape –Microcystis 2) Cube-shaped colonies -
Eucapsis 3) Plate-like colonies –Merismopedia4) Spherical colonies
of club-shaped cells, or heart-shaped when dividing, that are
joined in the middle of the colony by a system of mucilaginous
stalks – Gomphosphaeria 5) Pseudoparenchymatous colonies –
Hyella
Microcystis Eucapsis
Merismopedia
Gomphosphaeria Hyella
 Filamentous Form:
 Cell division in one plane, single rows of cells are formed
called trichome.
 Trichome covered with mucilagenous sheath - Filament
Filamentous forms are of two types:
1) Simple untapered, unbranched filaments -

Oscillatoria, Anabaena
2) False branches and untapered heterocystous

filaments - Scytonema
Oscillatoria Anabena
Scytonema
ANATOMY OF CYANOPHYCEAE ALGAE
 Have prokaryotic organization.

 Cell structure has distinct parts namely
i. Mucilagenous Sheath
ii. Cell wall
iii. Plasma membrane
iv. Photosynthetic Apparatus
v. Intra Cytoplasmic inclusions
vi. Gas Vacuoles
vii. Nucleoplasm
SHEATH:
 Present outside the cell wall.
 Three layered reticulately arranged microfibrils within
an amorphous matrix.
 Retains absorbed water.
Cell wall:
 Double layered and rigid structure.
 Gives shape to cell.
 Composed of mucopeptide, carbohydrates, amino acids
and fatty acids.
 Inner layer - mucopeptide and muramic acid.
Plasma Membrane :
 Present beneath cell wall.
 Invaginates inside the cells.
 Sites for biochemical reactions and functions.
Photosynthetic Apparatus:
 Thylakoids -Pigment embedded within lamellae composed

of two membranes joined at two ends.
 Adjacent thylakoids are separated from each other by a

space of 50 nm.
 Phycobilisomes - aggregates of light-harvesting proteins

attached to the stroma side of the thylakoid membranes.
 Several additional protiens are found within the
phycobilisome and serve to link the phycobiliproteins to
each other in an ordered fashion and also to attach the
phycobilisome to the thylakoid membrane.
 Accessory pigments c-phycocyanin, c-allophycocyanin

and c-phycoerythrin are usually present in high
concentration in the cells of bluegreen algae.
Intra cytoplasmic inclusions:
 Cyanophycin granules
1) Are enormous and frequently found near the
crosswalls of filamentous forms
2) Composed of a polymer (arginine and
asparagine) which utilize as nitrogen replacement.
 Polyhedral bodies (now called carboxysomes) – Contain

important enzymes, ribulose diphosphate carboxylase.
 Polyphosphate bodies (volutin) – Sources of phosphate for

the production of nucleic acids, phospho lipids and ATP.
 Polyglucoside bodies
1)Stores carbon and energy in the form of
carbohydrate.
2)They are known to function in blasting
the cell and play a role in buoyancy regulation.
 Poly - beta - hydroxybutyric acid – biopolymer found

exclusively in prokaryotes in which it act as a storage.
Gas vacuoles:
 Made of protein cylinders which are hollow packets.
 Contains metabolic gases.
 Help cells move upward, towards the light.

Nucleoplasm :
 Nucleolus and nuclear envelope are absent.
 DNA is present in the cytosol.
 DNA is not associated with protein material.
 RNA is present in addition to DNA.
SPECIAL CELL
Heterocyst:
 Cells, with thick hyaline walls, characteristic of filamentous
algae belonging to the orders, Nostocales (except the
Oscillatoriaceae) and Stigonematales
 They are enlarged barrel shaped cells.
 Heterocysts may be terminal or intercalary.
 Heterocysts have role in nitrogen fixation.

REPRODUCTION
The blue green algae (Cyanophyceae)
reproduce by both vegetative and asexual means. Sexual
reproduction is absent.
 Vegetative reproduction:
Takes place by
1) Binary Fission
2) Fragmentation
3) Hormogonia formation
 Asexual Reproduction:
Takes place by
1) Akinetes
2) Endospores
3) Exospores
VEGETATIVE REPRODUCTION
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. Eg (Synechococcus)
Binary Fission in Synechococcus

Fragmentation:
 The filament of the cyanobacteria breaks to from
small fragments.
 Each filament grows to form new colony. Eg
(Oscillatoria)
Fragmentation in Oscillatoria
Hormogonia formation:
 The vegetative part of trichome that lying between two
adjacent heterocysts is called hormogones.
 During favourable conditions the filaments breaks into small

pieces at the region of heterocysts.
 These hormogones grow into new filaments. Eg (Nostoc,

Oscillatoria).
Hormogonia formation in Nostoc Hormogonia formation in Oscillatoria

ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION
Akinetes or arthrospores:
 Resting spores.
 Stores reserve food
 Secretes thick wall and become
akinete.
 Has outer wall exospore and
inner wall endospore.
 Yellow or brown coloured.
 Germinate immediately after
raining. Eg (Anabena)
Akinete in Anabena
Endospores:
 Some cyanobacteria develop endospores.
 The protoplast of certain cells divides and develops
endospores.
 The old cell wall burst and endospores come out. Eg
(Dermocarpa)
Endospore formation in Dermocarpa

Exospores:
 They are cut out at the tip of some branches.
 They get separated and develop new filament. Eg
(Chamaesiphon)
Exospore in Chamaesiphon
LIFE CYCLE PATTERNS OF CYANOPHYCEAE
MEMBERS
 Generation of cyanobacteria blooms through their distinctive
life cycle have not yet been sufficiently considered.
 The life cycle may be governed by the internal energy and

nitrogen quotas of the cells.
 Four different stages :

1) Recruiting cells (RECs).
2) Filaments of vegetative cells (VEGs)
3) Vegetative cells with heterocysts (HETs)
4) Akinetes (AKIs)
 Different stages assumed depends directly or indirectly on

external (environmental) factors
STEPS IN LIFE CYCLE
Recruiting cyanobacteria – intercellular nitrogen high
Light replenishes
Recruiting cells to vegetative cells
Vegetative cells – Grows (internal nitrogen and energy storage)
Depletion of Nitrogen
Vegetative cells to Vegetative cell with Heterocysts
Decline in Solar radiation and energy
Transfer to Akinetes
Akinetes - Sediment –takes up energy and nitrogen
Germination and Recolonisation

LIFE CYCLE MODEL OF CLC BY HENSE AND BECKMANN
(2006)
Reference : https://sci-hub.do/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2010.06.014
ANK YO U
T H

General Characteristics of Cyanophyceae

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

General Characteristics of Cyanophyceae

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

General Characteristics of Cyanophyceae

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

GENERAL

 Cyanophyceae is a primitive group of algae, consists of

 In India, the division is represented by 98 genera and

 Members of the class Myxophyceae (Cyanophyceae) are

 The name blue green algae is given because of the

 The reserve food material are stored as

 The members of this class are the simplest living

 It includes 5 orders namely Chroococcales,

Blue-green algae can be separated into unicellular,

 Trichome covered with mucilagenous sheath - Filament

Filamentous forms are of two types:

1) Simple untapered, unbranched filaments -

2) False branches and untapered heterocystous

 Have prokaryotic organization.

 Thylakoids -Pigment embedded within lamellae composed

 Adjacent thylakoids are separated from each other by a

 Phycobilisomes - aggregates of light-harvesting proteins

 Accessory pigments c-phycocyanin, c-allophycocyanin

 Polyhedral bodies (now called carboxysomes) – Contain

 Polyphosphate bodies (volutin) – Sources of phosphate for

 Poly - beta - hydroxybutyric acid – biopolymer found

 Made of protein cylinders which are hollow packets.

 Contains metabolic gases.

 Help cells move upward, towards the light.

 They are enlarged barrel shaped cells.

 Heterocysts may be terminal or intercalary.

 Heterocysts have role in nitrogen fixation.

Binary Fission in Synechococcus

 During favourable conditions the filaments breaks into small

 These hormogones grow into new filaments. Eg (Nostoc,

Hormogonia formation in Nostoc Hormogonia formation in Oscillatoria

Endospore formation in Dermocarpa

 The life cycle may be governed by the internal energy and

 Four different stages :

 Different stages assumed depends directly or indirectly on

Recruiting cyanobacteria – intercellular nitrogen high

Recruiting cells to vegetative cells

Vegetative cells – Grows (internal nitrogen and energy storage)

Vegetative cells to Vegetative cell with Heterocysts

Decline in Solar radiation and energy

Akinetes - Sediment –takes up energy and nitrogen

Germination and Recolonisation

You might also like