CaCO3 biomineralization on cyanobacterial surfaces: insights from experiments with three Synechococcus strains

In the present paper, the impact of freshwater (ARC21 and LS0519) and marine (PCC8806) Synechococcus cyanobacteria on calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation has been examined in respect of the formation rates and morphology of crystals. Acid-base potentiometric titrations were employed to study surface functional groups, while CaCO3 experiments have been carried out in presence and absence of cells at low to near-equilibrium conditions in respect to CaCO3. During these experiments, the pH values have been monitored, Ca and alkalinity were measured and precipitates have been investigated by Raman spectroscopy and Atomic Force and Scanning Electron microscopy. Our results showed that the Synechococcus strains exhibited different surface reactivity with total concentration of surface functional groups of 0.342 and 0.350 mMg(-1) of dry bact. for freshwater strains, and 0.662 mMg(-1) of dry bact. for the marine strain, which are on the same order of magnitude as that reported for bacterial cell surfaces. The marine strain showed the highest CaCO3 formation rate with Ca(2+) removal of 18 mMg(-1) dry bact. compared to 6-7 mMg(-1) dry bact. for freshwater strains. The morphological diversity in crystals has been linked to presence of specific functional groups. The linking cell surface properties to crystal morphologies and precipitation rates propose that bacterial surfaces may modulate CaCO3 formation. Results of this work should allow better understanding of biominiralization in marine and freshwater systems as they define the precipiatation rates in typical range of pH necessary for estimation of CaCO3 formation by cyanobacterial communities.