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Physiology of sulfide tolerance in a thermophilic Oscillatoria

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Abstract

Oscillatoria amphigranulata is a fast-growing (3 doublings/day) cyanobacterium isolated from sulfide hot springs in New Zealand. Photosynthesis, as measured by incorporation of [14C]-HCO -3 , was initially inhibited by 0.3–1.5 mM sulfide at pH 7.9–8.1. However, conversion to sulfide-dependent anoxygenic photosynthesis occurred in about 2 h or less under light intensities of 3–14 klx. Under the stimulation of higher light intensity (8–14 klx) a partial recovery of oxygenic photosynthesis also occurred. It was concluded that oxygenic photosynthesis was responsible for 21–42% of the total incorporation at sulfide concentrations of 1.0–0.3 mM, respectively. This contribution was suppressed at 1.5 mM sulfide and not elicited under lower light intensities (3–7 klx). As judged by the inhibitory effect of 10 μg/ml chloramphenicol protein synthesis was required for attainment of both anoxygenic photosynthesis and photosystem II recovery. Sulfide could not be replaced by thiosulfate, elemental sulfur or dithionite as electron donors in photosynthesis, but elemental sulfur could serve as the sole assimilatory source of sulfur. Oxygenic photosynthesis was inhibited by DCMU [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea] or DBMIB (2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone), but sulfide relieved the effect of either inhibitor in adapted cells, indicating that electrons derived from sulfide enter the photosynthetic electron transport chain at a point beyond plastoquinone.

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Abbreviations

DCMU:

3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea

DBMIB:

2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone

DSPD:

disalicyclidene propanediamine

DNP-INT:

2-4-dinitrophenyl ether of 2-iodo-4-nitrothymol

TMPD:

N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine

PPO:

2,5-diphenyloxazole

POPOP:

1,4-bis-2-(5-phenyl oxzolyl) benzene

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Castenholz, R.W., Utkilen, H.C. Physiology of sulfide tolerance in a thermophilic Oscillatoria . Arch. Microbiol. 138, 299–305 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00410894

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00410894

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