Anabaena azollae: Difference between revisions

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==Description and significance==
==Description and significance==
Describe the disease caused by this organism if it is a pathogen, or the natural macroscopic "field guide" appearance and habitat of your organism if it is not. What is or has been the impact your organism on human history or our environment?. How does it do this? How have we harnessed this power, or tried to prevent it? In other words, how do you know it if you see it, and how does its presence influence humans in the present, and historically?
Anabaena Azollae is a small filamentous phototrophic cyanobacteria generally seen as a multicellular organism with two distinct, interdependent cell types. The first is a small, circular, photoautotrophic “vegetative” cell that performs oxygenic photosynthesis and is typically blue green in color. The second is a heterocyst; a larger, paler, more homogenous cell produced by Anabaena to fix atmospheric nitrogen. A. Azollae, although it can exist on it’s own, is usually found within ovoid cavities inside the leaves of the water fern Azolla. Azolla (also known as mosquito fern, duckweed fern, or fairy moss) is a genus of common waterfern whose small leaves accumulate on the surface of bodies of water creating mats. A. Azollae and Azolla have formed a symbiotic relationship in which the cyanobacterium receives carbon and nitrogen sources from the plant in exchange for fixed nitrogen. This relationship has proven to be useful to humans in the production of food; specifically in the fertilization of rice paddies. Azolla is used as an organic biofertilizer to increase the nitrogen levels in the rice paddies. A. Azollae is a model organism commonly used in labs for the study of gene differentiation in the formation of heterocysts.


==Genome structure==
==Genome structure==

Revision as of 06:58, 28 October 2011

This student page has not been curated.

A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Anabaena azollae

Classification

Higher Order Taxa:

Bacteria; Cyanobacteria, Nostocales, Nostocaceae, Anabaena,


Species:

Azollae

Description and significance

Anabaena Azollae is a small filamentous phototrophic cyanobacteria generally seen as a multicellular organism with two distinct, interdependent cell types. The first is a small, circular, photoautotrophic “vegetative” cell that performs oxygenic photosynthesis and is typically blue green in color. The second is a heterocyst; a larger, paler, more homogenous cell produced by Anabaena to fix atmospheric nitrogen. A. Azollae, although it can exist on it’s own, is usually found within ovoid cavities inside the leaves of the water fern Azolla. Azolla (also known as mosquito fern, duckweed fern, or fairy moss) is a genus of common waterfern whose small leaves accumulate on the surface of bodies of water creating mats. A. Azollae and Azolla have formed a symbiotic relationship in which the cyanobacterium receives carbon and nitrogen sources from the plant in exchange for fixed nitrogen. This relationship has proven to be useful to humans in the production of food; specifically in the fertilization of rice paddies. Azolla is used as an organic biofertilizer to increase the nitrogen levels in the rice paddies. A. Azollae is a model organism commonly used in labs for the study of gene differentiation in the formation of heterocysts.

Genome structure

Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes and plasmids? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence?

Cell structure, metabolism & life cycle

Provide a physical and biochemical description of the organism. What kind of organism is it, what does it look like, how is it built, what are its metabolic properties, how can it be identified, what is it's life cycle, &c. In other words, describe the organism from its perspective.

Ecology (including pathogenesis)

Describe its habitat, symbiosis, and contributions to environment. If it is a pathogen, how does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Describe virulence factors and patient symptoms.

Interesting feature

Describe in detail one particularly interesting aspect of your organism or it's affect on humans or the environment.

References

[Sample reference] Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2000. Volume 50. p. 489-500.