Abstract
Akinetes are dormancy cells commonly found among filamentous cyanobacteria, many of which are toxic and/or nuisance, bloom-forming species. Development of akinetes from vegetative cells is a process that involves morphological and biochemical modifications. Here, we applied a single-cell approach to quantify genome and ribosome content of akinetes and vegetative cells in Aphanizomenon ovalisporum (Cyanobacteria). Vegetative cells of A. ovalisporum were naturally polyploid and contained, on average, eight genome copies per cell. However, the chromosomal content of akinetes increased up to 450 copies, with an average value of 119 genome copies per akinete, 15-fold higher than that in vegetative cells. On the basis of fluorescence in situ hybridization, with a probe targeting 16S rRNA, and detection with confocal laser scanning microscopy, we conclude that ribosomes accumulated in akinetes to a higher level than that found in vegetative cells. We further present evidence that this massive accumulation of nucleic acids in akinetes is likely supported by phosphate supplied from inorganic polyphosphate bodies that were abundantly present in vegetative cells, but notably absent from akinetes. These results are interpreted in the context of cellular investments for proliferation following a long-term dormancy, as the high nucleic acid content would provide the basis for extended survival, rapid resumption of metabolic activity and cell division upon germination.
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Acknowledgements
This work was carried out at the Bay Paul Center, Marine Biology Laboratory and supported by the Gruss Lipper Foundation research award (AS). This study was part of the Joint German-Israeli-Project (FKZ 02WT0985, WR803) funded by the German Ministry of Research and Technology (BMBF) and Israel Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). We thank Ms Katherine Hammar and Mr Blair Rossetti for their skillful technical help. Special thanks to Mr Christopher Rieken, Carl Zeiss Microimaging, Inc., for his resourceful advice and help.
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Sukenik, A., Kaplan-Levy, R., Welch, J. et al. Massive multiplication of genome and ribosomes in dormant cells (akinetes) of Aphanizomenon ovalisporum (Cyanobacteria). ISME J 6, 670–679 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2011.128
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2011.128
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