Clear differences in metabolic and morphological adaptations of akinetes of two Nostocales living in different habitats

Abstract

Akinetes are resting spore-like cells formed by some heterocyst-forming filamentous cyanobacteria for surviving long periods of unfavourable conditions. We studied the development of akinetes in two model strains of cyanobacterial cell differentiation, the planktonic freshwater Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413 and the terrestrial or symbiotic Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133, in response to low light and phosphate starvation. The best trigger of akinete differentiation of A. variabilis was low light; that of N. punctiforme was phosphate starvation. Light and electron microscopy revealed that akinetes of both species differed from vegetative cells by their larger size, different cell morphology, and large number of intracellular granules. A. variabilis akinetes had a multilayer envelope; those of N. punctiforme had a simpler envelope. During akinete development of A. variabilis, the amount of the storage compounds cyanophycin and glycogen transiently increased, whereas in N. punctiforme, cyanophycin and lipid droplets transiently increased. Photosynthesis and respiration decreased during akinete differentiation in both species and remained at a low level in mature akinetes. The clear differences in the metabolic and morphological adaptations of akinetes of the two species could be related to their different lifestyles. The results pave the way for genetic and functional studies of akinete differentiation in these species.