[Phagoresistance of filamentous cyanobacteria clones]

Abstract

The paper deals with formation regularities of phagoresistant clones of cyanobacteria in two productive virus-cell systems: heterocyst cyanobacterium Nostoc linckia--cyanophage N-2, and mutant in heterocysts strain of Anabaena variabilis--cyanophage A-1. Frequency of spontaneous formation of phagoresistant clones of cyanobacterium N. linckia varies within 1.0-8.0 x 10(-6) per a cell, A. variabilis--5.0 x 10(-6)-7.0 x 10(-7) per cell. All the studied phagoresistant clones of N. linckia have identical morpho-cultural properties and do not differ from those of the initial culture. Phagoresistant clones of A. variabilis are presented by two groups. One of them, as to its properties, does not practically differ from the wild type culture. The second group differs considerably from the initial culture A. variabilis as to a number of characteristics--time of colonies appearance, their amount, length of trichomas, specific rate of growth and biomass accumulation. Spontaneous transfer of cyanophages to the culture liquid of clones resistant forms of cyanobacteria has not been revealed. Lysis of cells of the studied clones also was not induced under the effect of mytomycin C, thermal treatment and UV-irradiation. Cyanophage N-2 is not adsorbed by the cells of resistant cloned forms of cyanobacteria N. linckia. Only nonspecific adsorption takes place on the cells of phage-resistant clones of A. variabilis of both groups: about 20% of virions introduced in the adsorption mixture. Basing on the data obtained, it is supposed that phage-resistance of stable clones of filamentous cyanobacteria under the conditions of the given experiment is determined by the structure modification of cells receptors.