PHOSPHORUS ACCUMULATION BY A MARINE PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIUM, CHROMATIUM SP

Among 8 strains of typical marine and freshwater photosynthetic bacter ia, a Chromatium sp., which is known to flocculate upon the addition o f seawater, had the highest intracellular phosphorus content of 0.865 mu mol P/mg dry wt with a ratio of polyphosphate to phosphate (poly-Pi /Pi) of 2.14. Intracellular phosphorus content increased with increasi ng NaCl concentration up to 260 mM. The poly-Pi/Pi value was also the highest in the medium containing 260 mM NaCl. Sodium cation in seawate r enhanced intracellular phosphorus accumulation in this bacterium.