Sheathless mutant of Cyanobacterium Gloeothece sp. strain PCC 6909 with increased capacity to remove copper ions from aqueous solutions.

ABSTRACT: The cyanobacterium Gloeothece sp. strain PCC 6909 and its sheathless mutant were tested for their abilities to remove copper ions from aqueous solutions, with the aim of defining the role of the various outermost polysaccharidic investments in the removal of the metal ions. Microscopy studies and chemical analyses revealed that, although the mutant does not possess a sheath, it releases large amounts of polysaccharidic material (released exocellular polysaccharides [RPS]) into the culture medium. The RPS of the wild type and the mutant are composed of the same 11 sugars, although they are present in different amounts, and the RPS of the mutant possesses a larger amount of acidic sugars and a smaller amount of deoxysugars than the wild type. Unexpectedly, whole cultures of the mutant were m

SUBMITTER: Micheletti E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2394890 | biostudies-literature | 2008 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature