Adaptive response of wild and mutant type Synechococcus cedrorum to a polychlorinated pesticide-endosulfan

The effect of endosulfan, a hexachlorinated pesticide, on growth, inorganic nitrogenous nutrient uptake (NO3-, NO2- and NH4+), change in pigmentation and glycogen content on wild type and chemically mutagenised cells of Synechococcus cedrorum was investigated. The pattern of response to pesticide stress in wild and mutant type was the same. Growth reappeared in both after a period of initial lag in presence of endosulfan. The duration of lag increased with increasing doses of pesticide. Paradoxically, however, the rate of uptake of NO3-, NO2- and NH4+, pigment and glycogen content progressively increased with increasing doses. The difference in the adaptation response between wild and mutant types was observed only in the concentration of pesticide that could be tolerated; with the mutant tolerating 2.5 fold more.