INTRODUCTION

The tree of life contains three Domains which are Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.

Kingdom bacteria consists of prokaryotic microorganisms. They were among the first
life forms to appear on Earth and appear in a wide variety of habitats. One of the
phylum that consists in kingdom bacteria is Cyanobacteria. This phylum is
characterized by their ability to obtain energy through photosynthesis. They are often
called the blue-green algae stemming from the Greek origins of the word kyanós,
meaning blue. Because they require the basic environmental conditions, this bacteria
can be found in a variety of environments ranging from marine to terrestrial habitats.
Cyanobacteria is also composed of a wide variety of bacteria species of different
shapes are sizes that can be found in different habitats in the environment. These are
spread across the 150 genera that have been identified so far and play various
important roles in nature. One of the genera is Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii.

Figure 1: Example of blue-green algae in salt water

Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii:

Cylindrospermopsis raciborski is a freshwater cyanobacterium. This species of

bacteria were in the Cyanophyceae class. This class consists of photosynthetic
bacteria found in fresh and salt water, containing chlorophyll a and phycobilins. This
Cylindrospermopsis were considered as a part of family Nostocaceae, in the
order Nostocales. Nostocaceae family of cyanobacteria forms filament-shaped
colonies enclosed in mucus or a gelatinous sheath. Their habitats vary widely ranging
from fresh water to salt water conditions. They often contain photosynthetic
pigments in their cytoplasm to perform photosynthesis, which gives the cells a bluish-
green color. The Nostocales order includes cyanobacteria of filamentous forms, either
simple or branched, both of which occur as single strands or multiple strands within a
sheath. In terrestrial ecosystems, Cylindrospermum is found in soils, while in aquatic
it commonly grows as part of the periphyton on aquatic plants. The particular genus is
a heterocysts (nitrogen-fixing) cyanobacterium.
The cyanotoxin cylindrospermopsin was first identified from a species of this genus.
Their habitats vary widely ranging from fresh water to salt water conditions. They
often contain photosynthetic pigments in their cytoplasm to perform photosynthesis,
which gives the cells a bluish-green color.

Figure 2: Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii

 CROSS SECTION OF THE CYLINDROSPERMOPSIS RACIBORSKII:

lipid
bodies
polyhedral
bodies

air
vesicles

Phycobilisomes
polyphosphate
granules

Figure 3: Cylindrospermopsis raciborski under microscope

ANATOMY FUNCTION OF CYLINDROSPERMOPSIS RACIBORSKII:

Anatomy Function
Cytoplasmic membrane It is the most dynamic structure of a
procaryotic cell. Its main function is as a
selective permeability barrier that
regulates the passage of substances into
and out of the cell.

Cell wall The function is to maintain the shape and

integrity of the cell in the face of high
osmotic pressure. The pressure results
from the high concentration of dissolved
molecules inside the cell relative to the
environment.

Outer membrane It acts as a permeability barrier to solutes;

it hinders the entry of some antibiotics
and protects the cell wall peptidoglycan
from lysozyme, which can degrade
peptidoglycan, leading to cell lysis.

Periplasmic space It is the region between these membranes

that includes a variety of enzymes
and functions, including the oxidation
and quality control of proteins. Also
within the periplasmic space is a layer of
crosslinked sugars and amino acids
termed peptidoglycan, which surrounds
the cell.

Lipid bodies The functions of lipids include storing

energy, signaling, and acting as structural
 components of cell membranes.

Air vesicles To decrease the cell densityand provide

neutral or even positive buoyancy to
cells. By regulating their relative gas
vesicle content, aquatic microbes are able
to perform vertical migrations.

Polyhedral bodies It contain the enzyme ribulose 1,5-

diphosphate carboxylase. This is
responsible for carbon dioxide
fixation in cyanobacteria.

Polyphosphate granules Polyphosphate granules limiting

membrane and possess an enzymatic
mechanism for their acidification.

Phycobilisomes It allow absorption and unidirectional

transfer of light energy
to chlorophyll a of the photosystem II. In
this way, the cells take advantage of the
available wavelengths of light (in the
500-650 nm range), which are
inaccessible to chlorophyll, and utilize
their energy for photosynthesis. 

DISCUSSION

This study is focusing on an organism under each domain in prokaryotes. There are
two kingdom under prokaryotes which are bacteria and archaea. Kingdom bacteria
has nine phylum, but in this study, only one phylum that have been chosen and that is
phylum Cyanobacteria. A lot of genus and species were found in this phylum, one of
that species is Cylindrospermopsis raciborski.

This species of cyanobacterium or blue-green algae is composed of trichomes

(chained filaments) that are solitary and straight. In Mona Lake, within the Lake
Michigan basin, their tube-shaped cells contain groups of scattered gas vesicles and
are divided by barely visible walls. In other populations, such as in Lake Constance
near Ottawa, Ontario, the cell walls are thick and conspicuous. The terminal cells may
differentiate into cone-shaped heterocytes. Akinetes which thick-walled spore-like
structures are cylindrical to oval-shaped, found singly or in pairs, near the terminal
heterocytes. Both straight and coiled trichomes of this species exist in different
locations around the world. Morphological variation in trichomes, vegetative cells and
heterocytes can occur even among very similar genetic isolates of C. raciborskii,
depending on abiotic conditions.

In Figure 3, different views of untreated C. raciborskii cells observed by transmission

electron microscopy (TEM). In (A), a cross-section of a cell shows a general view of
the cytoplasm, cell envelope and their organization.

While in (B), at higher magnification, the structure of the cellular envelope is more
clearly revealed. Note the cytoplasmic membrane (green), cell wall (pink) and outer
membrane (orange color). cytoplasmic membrane is the most dynamic structure of a
procaryotic cell. Its main function is as a selective permeability barrier that regulates
the passage of substances into and out of the cell.

From (C to E), Cytoplasmic structures such as air vesicles (V), lipid bodies,
polyhedral bodies (*), and polyphosphate granules are observed.

Air vesicles function is to decrease the cell densityand provide neutral or even

positive buoyancy to cells. By regulating their relative gas vesicle content, aquatic
microbes are able to perform vertical migrations. While lipid bodies functions as
lipids include storing energy, signaling, and acting as structural components of cell
membranes. Polyhedral bodies contain the enzyme ribulose 1,5-diphosphate
carboxylase. This is responsible for carbon dioxide fixation in cyanobacteria.
Polyphosphate granules limiting membrane and possess an enzymatic mechanism for
their acidification.

In (F), the thylakoid membrane structure is seen at high magnification.

Phycobilisomes (red arrow) are viewed as small electron-dense dots in association
with thylakoid membranes. It allow absorption and unidirectional transfer of light
energy to chlorophyll a of the photosystem II. In this way, the cells take advantage of
the available wavelengths of light (in the 500-650 nm range), which are inaccessible
to chlorophyll, and utilize their energy for photosynthesis. 
REFERENCES

1. Johnson, S. (2019, November 22). Roles of Cyanobacteria in the Ecosystem.

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https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-
dentistry/cylindrospermopsis-raciborskii
3. Cyanobacteria - Classification, Structure, Treatment and Reproduction. (2019).
Retrieved April 19, 2020, from
https://www.microscopemaster.com/cyanobacteria.html
4. Zilinskas, B. A., & Greenwald, L. S. (1986, January). Phycobilisome structure
and function. Retrieved April 19, 2020, from
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