Study of effective utilization of the N₂-fixing terrestrial cyanobacterium, Nostoc commune based on the desiccation analysis of desiccation-responsible genes and a photosynthesis gene.

Abstract

We had already selected the desiccation-responsible genes from a terrestrial cyanobacterium, Anabaena sp. PCC7120 and some of the genes were disrupted. The phenotype of the gene-disruptants indicated low viability under desiccation in N₂-fixing condition. These results may suggest that desiccation-tolerant genes contain nitrogen fixation relating genes and express to stabilize intra-and outer-cellular condition under desiccation. We were also shown that the no-inducible photosynthesis gene, psb28, was related to desiccation tolerant. Psb28 protein associates with photosystem II but function of Psb28 is not enough to understand.
Desiccation tolerant N₂-fixing cyanobacterium, Nostoc commune is related to the Anabaena. The Nostoc has ability to use scientific research for desiccation tolerance system, food and soil for plantation. These abilities expect to improve devastating soil to nutrient-rich soil including space agriculture. To confirm ability of the Nostoc(axenically) soil, the Nostoc was used plantation as nutrient containing plate. The result of difference plant growth between N₂-deficient plate and cyanobacterial mat is now in progress.