Abstract
ONLY on rare occasions have heterocysts of blue-green algae been seen to germinate. The observations of a number of investigators have supported various suggestions as to non-reproductive functions of these cells. However, no definitive elucidation of their function has yet been presented1. Indicative of the apparent infrequency of heterocyst germination under natural conditions is Fritsch's2 comment that in a six-month survey of algal material from all over the world, he had observed no single case of a germinating heterocyst. If conditions could be established which would invariably result in germination of these cells, these conditions could then suggest natural environments in which heterocyst germination might be successfully sought.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Greitler, L. v., “Schizophyzeen” 2 Aufl. Handbuch der Pflanzenanatomie, 6, Teil 1, 79 (Berlin, Borntraeger, 1960).
Fritsch, F. E., Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond., 162, 194 (1951).
Wolk, C. P., Ph.D., thesis., The Rockefeller Institute, New York (1964).
Fogg, G. E., New Phytol., 43, 164 (1944).
Pandey, D. C., and Mitra, A. K., Naturwiss., 49, 89 (1962).
Kratz, W. A., and Myers, J., Amer. J. Bot., 42, 282 (1955).
Braun, A. C., and Wood, H. N., Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci., 48, 1776 (1962).
Brand, F., Ber. deutsch. bot. Ges., 19, 152 (1901).
Desikachary, T. V., J. Indian Bot. Soc., 25, 11 (1946).
Geitler, L. v., Sitzungsber. Akad. Wiss., Wien, Math-naturw., Kl., 130 (Abt. 1), 223 (1921).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
WOLK, C. Heterocyst Germination under Defined Conditions. Nature 205, 201–202 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1038/205201b0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/205201b0
This article is cited by
-
Sediment and phytoplankton records of the cyanobacterial genus Anabaena in boreal Lake Pyhäjärvi
Hydrobiologia (2006)
-
Heterocyst division in two blue-green algae
Archives of Microbiology (1975)
-
The fine structure of akinete formation and germination in Cylindrospermum
Archiv f�r Mikrobiologie (1968)
-
Blaualgenliteratur aus den Jahren 1960–1966
Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Hydrologie (1967)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.