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Appl. Environ. Microbiol., Jun 1997, 2347-2354, Vol 63, No. 6
Copyright © 1997, American Society for Microbiology

Light-Induced Motility of Thermophilic Synechococcus Isolates from Octopus Spring, Yellowstone National Park

NB Ramsing, MJ Ferris and DM Ward
Department of Microbiology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717

This study demonstrates light-induced motility of two thermophilic Synechococcus isolates that are morphologically similar but that belong to different cyanobacterial lineages. Both isolates migrated away from densely inoculated streaks to form fingerlike projections extending toward or away from the light source, depending on the light intensity. However, the two isolates seemed to prefer widely different light conditions. The behavior of each isolate was controlled by several factors, including temperature, preacclimation of inocula, acclimation during the experiment, and strain-specific genetic preferences for different light conditions (adaptation). Time-lapse microscopy confirmed that these projections were formed by actively gliding cells and were not simply the outcome of directional cell division. The observed motility rates of individual cells of 0.1 to 0.3 (mu)m s(sup-1) agreed well with the distance traversed by the projections, 0.3 to 0.5 mm h(sup-1), suggesting that most cells in each projection are travelling in the same direction. The finding of motility among two phylogenetically unaffiliated unicellular cyanobacteria suggests that this trait may be widespread among this group. If so, this would have important implications for experiments on colonization, succession, diel positioning, and photosynthetic activity in hot spring mats dominated by Synechococcus-like cyanobacteria.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Kilian, O., Steunou, A.-S., Fazeli, F., Bailey, S., Bhaya, D., Grossman, A. R. (2007). Responses of a Thermophilic Synechococcus Isolate from the Microbial Mat of Octopus Spring to Light. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 4268-4278 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ramsing, N. B., Ferris, M. J., Ward, D. M. (2000). Highly Ordered Vertical Structure of Synechococcus Populations within the One-Millimeter-Thick Photic Zone of a Hot Spring Cyanobacterial Mat. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66: 1038-1049 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ward, D. M., Ferris, M. J., Nold, S. C., Bateson, M. M. (1998). A Natural View of Microbial Biodiversity within Hot Spring Cyanobacterial Mat Communities. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 62: 1353-1370 [Abstract] [Full Text]