Visualization of channels connecting cells in filamentous nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria, formerly called blue-green algae, are abundant bacteria that carry out green plant photosynthesis, fixing CO2 and generating O2. Many species can also fix N2 when reduced nitrogen sources are scarce. Many studies imply the existence of intracellular communicating channels in filamentous cyanobacteria, in particular, the nitrogen-fixing species. In a species such as Anabaena, growth in nitrogen-depleted medium, in which ∼10% of the cells differentiate into anaerobic factories for nitrogen fixation (heterocysts), requires the transport of amino acids from heterocysts to vegetative cells, and reciprocally, the transport of sugar from vegetative cells to heterocysts. Convincing physical evidence for such channels has been slim. Using improved preservation of structure by high-pressure rapid freezing of samples for electron microscopy, coupled with high-resolution 3D tomography, it has been possible to visualize and measure the dimensions of channels that breach the peptidoglycan between vegetative cells and between heterocysts and vegetative cells. The channels appear to be straight tubes, 21 nm long and 14 nm in diameter for the latter and 12 nm long and 12 nm in diameter for the former.-Omairi-Nasser, A., Haselkorn, R., Austin, J. II. Visualization of channels connecting cells in filamentous nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria.