• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.423-430
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• 2002

The effects of UV-B and commercial grade pesticides (butachlor and carbofuran), individually and in combination, were studied on a variety of physiological processes of rice field cyanobacterium Anabaena doliolum. Butachlor was found to be $2-12\%$ more toxic than carbofuran and $4-24\%$ than UV-B on the growth, photosynthesis, lipid peroxidation, membrane permeability, and nitrogenase activity of the test cyanobacterium. Of the three photosynthesis inhibitors, the butachlor-induced inhibition of whole chain was approximately 3 and $21\%$ higher than carbofuran and UV-B, respectively. Although the interaction of the stress factors caused a significant inhibition (P<0.01), it was still less than the additive effect on the parameters investigated, except for PSI.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2015

The cyanobacterium Anabaena doliolum Ind1 isolated from a coal mining site was tested for removal of cadmium at optimum pH 7.0 and temperature $25^{\circ}C$. The organism recorded high percentage of metal removal (92-69%) within seven days of exposure to 0.5-2.0 ppm cadmium. Biosorption onto the cell surface was the primary mode of metal removal. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) established hydroxyl, amides, carboxyl, sulphate and carbonyl groups to be the major functional groups on the cell surface involved in cadmium binding. Cellular ultrastructure and a range of vital physiological processes (i.e., photosynthetic pigments, respiration, photosynthesis, heterocyst frequency and nitrogenase activity) remained unaffected upon 0.5 ppm treatment; higher concentrations of cadmium exerted visible adverse effects. Amongst the five photosynthetic pigments tested, phycocyanin was the most targeted pigment (inhibition was 15-89%). Both respiration and photosynthetic activities were inhibited by cadmium with more severe effect seen on respiration. 2.0 ppm cadmium exposure also had drastic negative effect on nitrogenase activity (87% decreased).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1354-1367
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• 2014

In the present work, we describe a simple, cheap, and unexplored method for "green" synthesis of silver nanoparticles using cell extracts of the cyanobacterium Anabaena doliolum. An attempt was also made to test the antimicrobial and antitumor activities of the synthesized nanoparticles. Analytical techniques, namely UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and TEM-selected area electron diffraction, were used to elucidate the formation and characterization of silver-cyanobacterial nanoparticles (Ag-CNPs). Results showed that the original color of the cell extract changed from reddish blue to dark brown after addition of silver nitrate solution (1 mM) within 1 h, suggesting the synthesis of Ag-CNPs. That the formation Ag-CNPs indeed occurred was also evident from the spectroscopic analysis of the reaction mixture, wherein a prominent peak at 420 nm was noted. TEM images revealed well-dispersed, spherical Ag-CNPs with a particle size in the range of 10-50 nm. The X-ray diffraction spectrum suggested a crystalline nature of the Ag-CNPs. FTIR analysis indicated the utilization of a hydroxyl (-OH) group in the formation of Ag-CNPs. Ag-CNPs exhibited strong antibacterial activity against three multidrug-resistant bacteria. Additionally, Ag-CNPs strongly affected the survival of Dalton's lymphoma and human carcinoma colo205 cells at a very low concentration. The Ag-CNPs-induced loss of survival of both cell types may be due to the induction of reactive oxygen species generation and DNA fragmentation, resulting in apoptosis. Properties exhibited by the Ag-CNP suggest that it may be used as a potential antibacterial and antitumor agent.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.544-551
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• 2003

Interactive effects of UV-B and Cd on growth, pigment, photosynthesis, and lipid peroxidation have been studied in Anabaena, Microcystis, and Nostoc; all the tested cyanobacteria showed differential sensitivity to different dosage of UV-B and Cd alone as well as in combination. Phycocyanin was severely affected by UV-B and Cd by all the strains; the degree of pigment bleaching was most pronounced in Anabaena followed by Microcystis and Nostoc. $UV-B_2+Cd_2$ produced nearly 83, 78, and 65% inhibition of phycocyanin in Anabaena, Microcystis, and Nostoc, respectively. The above treatment also significantly decreased the contents of Chl ${\alpha}$ and carotenoid. Presence of capsule in Microcystis protected the phycocyanin bleaching as compared to decapsulated cells. Laboratory-grown Microcystis revealed about 75 and 80% inhibition, following $UV-B_2+Cd_2$ treatment, respectively. in capsulated and decapsulated cells. Damage caused by Cd was more pronounced than UV-B. Inhibition of photosynthesis did occur in all the test strains, being maximum in Anabaena. PS II was the most sensitive component of the electron transport chain, showing 84, 80, and 70% inhibition in Anabaena, Microcystis, and Nostoc, respectively. As compared to control, significant lipid peroxidation (6.5-fold higher) was observed in Anabaena with $UV-B_2+Cd_2$, $^{14}C-uptake$ was more susceptible to Cd and Uv-B than oxygen-evolution. Approximately 84, 80, and 76% inhibition of $^{14}C-uptake$ was observed in Anabaena, Microcystis, and Nostoc, respectively. Similarly, $UV-B_2+Cd_2$ inhibited APT content of Anabaena by 87%. This ,study suggests that inhibition of carbon fixation was due to decreased ATP content of the test cyanobacteria by UV-B+Cd, where Anabaena was the most sensitive and Nostoc the most tolerant.