F. Fernandezpinas et al., ULTRASTRUCTURAL-CHANGES INDUCED BY SELECTED CADMIUM CONCENTRATIONS INTHE CYANOBACTERIUM NOSTOC UAM208, Journal of plant physiology, 147(3-4), 1995, pp. 452-456
The effects of cadmium on the fine structure of the nitrogen-fixing cy
anobacterium Nostoc UAM208 have been studied. Cells were treated with
final free ion Cd2+ concentrations of 4.89 and 6.36 mu M. Possible cel
l damage was examined at 6, 24, 48 and 96 h of heavy metal exposure. T
he main alterations induced by cadmium included the development of lar
ge areas of intrathylakoidal spaces, thylakoid disorganization and deg
radation, increase in the number and size of polyphosphate bodies, app
earance of large cyanophycin granules and, eventually, cell lysis, lea
ving a much larger proportion of heterocysts. Finally, the physiologic
al relevance of these observations is discussed.