Photosynthetic mutants of the cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp. strains PCC 6714 and PCC 6803: sodium p-hydoxymercuribenzoate as a selective agent

Journal Article · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · J. Bacteriol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6002749

Astier, C; Elmorjani, K; Meyer, I; Joset, F; Herdman, M

Among a wide range of potential selective agents examined, sodium p-hydroxymercuribenzoate successfully enriched for mutants of Synechocystis sp. strains PCC 6714 and 6803 defective in photosynthesis. When both photosystems I and II were operating, viability of wild-type cells decreased to between 5 x 10/sup -5/ and 1 x 10/sup -6/ after 5 h of incubation with 500 ..mu..M p-hydroxymercuribenzoate (strain 6714), and after 8 h with 200 ..mu..M (strain 6803). Between 0.1 and 0.5% of the survivors were stable mutants defective in different steps of photosynthesis. The compound was not mutagenic. It was less toxic to cells grown chemoheterotrophically in the dark or photoheterotrophically in the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl-1,1-dimethylurea. p-Hydroxymercuribenzoate therefore killed only cells which were performing photosynthesis at high rates, thereby specif

• Research Organization: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
• OSTI ID: 6002749
• Journal Information: J. Bacteriol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Bacteriol.; (United States) Vol. 158:2; ISSN JOBAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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