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Iron uptake by toxic and nontoxic strains of Microcystis aeruginosa

Manabu Fujii1, Andrew L Rose, T David Waite

  • 1Department of Civil Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-M1-4 Ookayama, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan. fujii.m.ah@m.titech.ac.jp

Applied and Environmental Microbiology
|August 16, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Iron uptake in Microcystis aeruginosa strains was studied. Similar iron uptake rates were observed between toxic and non-toxic strains, suggesting microcystin production does not significantly impact iron acquisition.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental microbiology
  • Cyanobacterial physiology

Background:

  • Microcystis aeruginosa is a globally significant bloom-forming cyanobacterium.
  • Iron is an essential micronutrient for phytoplankton growth and toxin production.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate and compare iron uptake kinetics in microcystin-producing and non-producing strains of Microcystis aeruginosa.
  • To determine if microcystin synthesis influences iron acquisition mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Short-term iron (Fe) uptake assays were conducted.
  • Kinetics, including maximum uptake rates, were analyzed for wild-type and mutant strains.

Main Results:

  • Strain-specific differences in iron uptake were observed.
  • Siderophore-independent Fe uptake kinetics were similar between a wild-type toxic strain (PCC7806) and a microcystin-deficient mutant.
  • Maximum uptake rates ranged from 2.0 to 3.3 amol·cell(-1)·h(-1).

Conclusions:

  • Microcystin production does not appear to be a major factor regulating siderophore-independent iron uptake in Microcystis aeruginosa.
  • Iron acquisition mechanisms may be conserved across toxic and non-toxic strains.

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