Tag: zoology

Anabaena is a cyanobacteria. It has ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen. It converts nitrogen into ammonia. The heterocysts present in it are specialized cyanobacterial cells for nitrogen fixation. It contains enzyme nitrogenase. Nitrogenase is inactivated by oxygen. Hence, the heterocyst creates a micro anaerobic environment.

A membranous coiled semicircular structure attached to plasma membrane and found in blue-green algae is called as Lamellasome. It is approximately 200 mμ in diameter. Mesosome is folded invagination found in the plasma membrane of bacteria that increases the surface area. They are the site of respiration. Microsome is a fragment of endoplasmic reticulum. It is an artificial structure and is not present in living cell.

Blue-green algae are also called as cyanobacteria. The blue colour of blue-green algae is due to presence of pigments phycocyanin and allophycocyanin. The green colour is due to presence of chlorophyll pigment. Phycoerythrin pigment results in the red colour. Anthocyanins pigment gives red, purple and blue colours in many fruits and vegetables. Anthoxanthin pigment gives white or colorless to a creamy to yellow color to petals of flowers.

Cyanobacteria are also called as Blue green algae. They are prokaryotic bacteria. They are nitrogen fixing bacteria. They are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium compounds and making it available to the plants. They are useful bifertilizers in fields of rice for cultivation. They are used either free-living and in symbiotic association.

There are many similarities between cyanobacterium and bacterium. They both posses saparophytic mode of life. They both lack true cell organelles. They both posses nucleoid instead of true nucleus.