Abstract
The cyanobacterium Oscillatoria brevis (Kütz.) Gom., strain NIVA CYA 7, was used to investigate how geosmin production is related to the synthesis of chlorophyll a, phycobiliproteins and β-carotene under nitrogen (NH +4 ) and light limiting conditions. Chemostat samples were used to inoculate batch cultures that were treated with inhibitors of isoprenoid synthesis, norflurazon and dimethazone, and gabaculine that inhibits tetrapyrrole synthesis. Dimethazone decreased and norflurazon increased geosmin production under light limited conditions, as was expected due to their sites of action in the isoprenoid pathway. This effect was not so pronounced in nitrogen limited cultures due to the additional effect of increasing nitrogen deficiency during the experimental period. Norflurazon was the only inhibitor that uncoupled geosmin production completely from β-carotene formation which indicates a strikt coupling between geosmin and β-carotene biosynthesis. From the observed increase of geosmin production relative to pigment synthesis after norflurazon treatment it was suggested that isoprenoid precursors are directed to geosmin synthesis when the demand for pigment precursors is very low. Within the framework of this study the data strongly support the hypothesis of geosmin formation via the isoprenoid pathway in Oscillatoria brevis as was found for actinomycetes.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Abbreviations
- Chl a :
-
chlorophyll a
- O. brevis :
-
Oscillatoria brevis
- PBPs:
-
phycobiliproteins
References
Bentley R, Meganathan R (1981) Geosmin and methylisoberneol biosynthesis in Streptomyces. FEBS Lett 125:220–222
Bramley PM, Clarke IE, Sandmann G, Böger P (1984) Inhibition of carotene biosynthesis in cell extracts of Phycomyces blakesleeanus. Z Naturforsch 39c:460–463
Clarke IE, Sandmann G, Bramley PM, Böger P (1982) Carotene biosynthesis with isolated photosynthetic membranes. FEBS Lett 140:203–206
Gerber NN (1967) Geosmin, an earthy-smelling substance isolated from actinomycetes. Biotechnol Bioeng 9:321–327
Gerber NN (1968) Geosmin, from microorganisms, is trans-1,10-dimethyl-trans-9-decalol. Tetrahedron Lett 25:2971–2974
Gerber NN, Lechevalier HA (1965) Geosmin, an earthy-smelling substance isolated from actinomycetes. Appl Microbiol 13:935–938
Kikuchi T, Mimura T, Harimaya K, Yano H, Arimoto T, Masada Y, Inoue T (1973) Odorous metabolite of blue-green algae: Schizothrix muelleri nageli collected in the southern basin of Lake Biwa. Identification of geosmin. Chem Pharm Bull 21:2342–2343
Kunert K-J, Böger P (1979) Influence of bleaching herbicides on chlorophyll and carotenoids. Z Naturforsch 34c:1047–1051
Medsker LL, Jenkins D, Thomas JF (1968) Odorous compounds in natural waters. Environ Sci Technol 2:461–464
Naes H, Aarnes H, Utkilen HC, Nilsen S, Skulberg OM (1985) Effect of photon fluence rate and specific growth rate on geosmin production of the cyanobacterium Oscillatoria brevis (Kütz) Gom. Appl Environ Microbiol 49:1538–1540
Naes H, Post AF (1988) Transient states of geosmin, pigments, carbohydrates and proteins in continuous cultures of Oscillatoria brevis induced by changes in nitrogen supply. Arch Microbiol 150:333–337
Persson P-E (1982) Muddy odour: a problem associated with extreme eutrophication. Hydrobiologia 86:161–164
Rando RR (1977) Mechanism of the irreversible inhibition of γ-aminobutyric acid α-ketoglutaric acid transaminase by the neurotoxin gabaculine. Biochemistry 16:4604–4610
Rosen AA, Mashni CI, Safferman RS (1970) Recent developments in the chemistry of odour in water, the cause of earthy/musy odour. Water Treat Exam 19:106–114
Sandmann G, Böger P (1986) Interference of dimethazone with formation of terpenoid compounds. Z Naturforsch 41c:729–732
Van Liere L, Mur LR (1978) Light-limited cultures of the blue-green algae Oscillatoria agardhii. Mitt Int Verein Limnol 21:158–167
Van Liere L, Walsby AE (1982) Interactions of cyanobacteria with light. In: Carr NG, Whitton BA (eds) The biology of cyanobacteria, vol 19. Blackwell Scientific Publication, pp 34–35
Weete JD, Huang WY, Laseter JL (1979) Streptomyces sp.: a source of odorous substances in potable water. Water Air Soil Pollut 11:217–223
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was performed at the Department of Microbiology, University of Amsterdam, with financial support provided by the royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Royal Norwegian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Naes, H., Utkilen, H.C. & Post, A.F. Geosmin production in the cyanobacterium Oscillatoria brevis . Arch. Microbiol. 151, 407–410 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00416598
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00416598