Laboratory Culture and Preliminary Characterization of the Nitrogen-Fixing Rhizosolenia-Richelia Symbiosis

Abstract. The oceanic diatom Rhizosolenia clevei and its cyanobactcrial symbiont Richelia intracel-luluris were isolated into laboratory culture and their biology and growth dynamics examined. Nitrogen-fixation by the symbiont could sustain the symbiosis. Growth and nitrogenase activity demonstrated light saturation kinetics, with no photoinhibition up to 315 μE m^-1 s^-1 for growth and 780μE m^-1 s^-1 for nitrogen fixation. The symbiosis is not obligate for Rhizosolenia , which is capable of growth independent of the symbiont if a nitrogen source is available. The symbiont is contained in the pcriplasmic space between the Rhizosolenia plasmalcmma and frustulc, and preliminary evidence suggests excretion of fixed nitrogen into the medium may be occurring.     

冬夏季南海西部固氮蓝藻

本研究分析了冬季东北季风期(2006年11月27日-12月16日)及夏季西南季风期(2007年8月11日-9月16日)南海西部越南沿岸区域(10°~17°N,108°~115°E)的网采浮游植物样品,探讨了冬夏两季南海西部固氮蓝藻的物种、丰度及分布特征,以及影响固氮蓝藻丰度与分布的环境因素。冬夏两季南海西部固氮蓝藻主要有束毛藻(Trichodesmium)和胞内植生藻(Richelia intracellularis),束毛藻物种包括铁氏束毛藻(Trichodesmium thiebaultii)、红海束毛藻(Trichodesmium erythraeum)以及汉氏束毛藻(Trichodesmium hildebrandtii),其中铁氏束毛藻为优势种,胞内植生藻主要与根管藻(Rhizosolenia sp.)共生。冬季时束毛藻藻丝体平均丰度为0.194×104 filaments/L,束毛藻细胞平均丰度为0.172×106 cells/L,胞内植生藻细胞平均丰度为0.255×104 cells/L,与笔尖形根管藻(Rhizosolenia styliformis)共生的胞内植生藻居多;蓝藻主要分布在调查海域的北部。夏季时束毛藻藻丝体平均丰度为2.995×104 filaments/L,束毛藻细胞平均丰度为6.007×106 cells/L,胞内植生藻细胞平均丰度为2.198×104 cells/L,与笔尖根管藻共生的胞内植生藻占优势。夏季时固氮蓝藻丰度高于冬季,胞内植生藻宿主更为多样化。本研究中温度及冷窝对蓝藻的分布有重要影响,而盐度单独对蓝藻分布的影响不大,与温度结合时表现出一定的限制作用。