Nostoc

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Nostoc
Nostoc commune.jpg
Nostoc commune
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Cyanobacteria
Class: Cyanophyceae
Order: Nostocales
Family: Nostocaceae
Genus: Nostoc
Vaucher, 1888, ex Bornet and Flahaul
Species
List

Nostoc, also known as star jelly , troll's butter, spit of moon, fallen star, witch's butter (not to be confused with the fungi commonly known as witches' butter), and witch's jelly, is the most common genus of cyanobacteria found in a variety of both aquatic and terrestrial environments that may form colonies composed of filaments of moniliform cells in a gelatinous sheath of polysaccharides. [1] It may also grow symbiotically within the tissues of plants, providing nitrogen to its host through the action of terminally differentiated cells known as heterocysts. Nostoc is a genus that includes many species that are diverse in morphology, habitat distribution, and ecological function. [2] Nostoc can be found in soil, on moist rocks, at the bottom of lakes and springs, and rarely in marine habitats. It may also be found in terrestrial temperate, desert, tropical, or polar environments. [3]

Contents

The name Nostoc was coined by Paracelsus and is a combination of the English nostril and German Nasenloch "nose hole, nostril", likely due to appearance of many species colonies being similar to nasal mucus. [4] When it is on the ground, a Nostoc colony is ordinarily not seen, but after a rain, it swells up into a conspicuous, jellylike mass, which was once thought to have fallen from the sky, hence the popular names, like star jelly , troll's butter, and witch's butter mentioned above.

Morphology

Nostoc strains Nostoc strains (10.3897-mycokeys.6.3869) Figure 2.jpg
Nostoc strains

Nostoc are a genus of Gram-negative photosynthetic cyanobacteria. [1] Many species of Nostoc possess an outer layer and extensive inner matrix of polysaccharides, giving them their "jelly-like" or gelatinous appearance, and also help to protect them from their environment and can assist in the absorption of moisture. This allows them to survive stressful conditions such as fluctuating temperatures, drought, salt stress, desiccation, UV radiation, and infection by pathogens. [2] [5] Some species within the genus also have nitrogen-fixing heterocyst filaments enclosed in this membrane. [2]

Many members of the Nostoc genus form colonies. These colonies can reach several centimeters in diameter. [5] These colonies consist of mats or gelatinous masses created by aggregated trichomes that can appear in a range of colors (depending on the species) such as brown, yellow, or green. [3]

Additionally, some species of Nostoc are able to enter quiescent stages, further aiding in their survival of adverse conditions, and allowing them to resume metabolism when re-hydrated. [2]

Ecology

Habitat and distribution

Nostoc can be found in a variety of environments, both terrestrial and aquatic, depending on the species. Their polysaccharide outer layer and matrix allows them to survive and thrive in a variety of conditions and habits ranging from deserts, semideserts, grasslands, polar, and tropical regions depending on the particular species of Nostoc. [2] [5] In terms of aquatic environments, Nostoc has been documented to be naturally found in marine water, fresh water, as well as brackish water. [1]

Terrestrial colony of Nostoc Nostoc or Witch's Butter, Chapeltoun, North Ayrshire, Scotland.jpg
Terrestrial colony of Nostoc
Aquatic Nostoc 20160223Nostoc3.jpg
Aquatic Nostoc

Interactions with other organisms

Depending on the species, Nostoc may either be free-living in their environment, or they may form relationships with the other organisms in their environment, such as plants, fungi, or other bacteria. [2] Because Nostoc is able to form colonies on the surface of bare minerals, it is able to provide a more stable environment for higher vegetation in its environment. [2] Some species of Nostoc also form relationships with plants that lack vascular tissue such as Bryophytes because of their ability to fix nitrogen. Nostoc has also been found to form symbiotic associations and other relationships with other bacteria in their environment. Some species of Nostoc that form colonies in freshwater environments provide a habitat to other freshwater bacteria. Additionally, some species like N. commune and N. flageliforme form relationships with heterotrophic bacteria and actinobacteria present in their environments, likely due to the fact that they are a potential significant player in nitrogen cycling in aquatic ecosystems. [5]

Usage

Biotechnological usage

Nostoc has been documented to produce many compounds of interest, including those that are antiviral, antitumor, antifungal, and antibacterial. [6] [1]

In addition to the suggested pharmaceutical usage, Nostoc has also been a suggested biofertilizer, and source of fatty acids for biofuel production. [1] [7]

Environmental usage

Nostoc has the unique ability to survive and colonize new and bare mineral surfaces by moss and other higher plants, which then allows for more organic soil and stable vegetation. It has been suggested that Nostoc be used in environments of retreating glaciers in order to establish new and more stable presences of vegetation on newly exposed mineral surfaces. [2]

Historical and culinary usage

Nostoc has historically been utilized as a healthy food and traditional medicine, most notably in Asia [8] Historically, the species N. flagelliforme and N. commune have been consumed in China, where it was used to survive famines and has been used as an ingredient in Chinese medicine since the Eastern Jin Dynasty. [8] Additionally, Nostoc has had documented culinary usage in India, Indonesia, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. [1]

Nostoc is also highly nutritious, containing protein and vitamin C, [9] as well as all essential amino acids. [1] It has been suggested to be anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant as well. [8] Because of this, Nostoc has also been considered to be a strong candidate for extraterrestrial agriculture. [1]

Human impact and management

Nostoc commune overtaking a footbridge Nostoc commune on footbridge - geograph.org.uk - 2708011.jpg
Nostoc commune overtaking a footbridge

Because of human foot traffic, and contaminated gardening tools and irrigation systems, Nostoc is usually found outside of its natural habitat in plant nurseries and greenhouses. A number of different control methods can be effective in removing unwanted Nostoc from these environments, including implementing increased drainage in these facilities, physical removal of Nostoc, and flame weeders or solarization. [3]

Taxonomy

Nostoc pruniforme CyanobacteriaColl1.jpg
Nostoc pruniforme

Nostoc is a member of the family Nostocaceae of the order Nostocales. Species include (see collapsed list on the right for full listing) :

Related Research Articles

Nitrogen fixation is a chemical process by which molecular nitrogen (N
2), which has a strong triple covalent bond, is converted into ammonia (NH
3) or related nitrogenous compounds, typically in soil or aquatic systems but also in industry. The nitrogen in air is molecular dinitrogen, a relatively nonreactive molecule that is metabolically useless to all but a few microorganisms. Biological nitrogen fixation or diazotrophy is an important microbe-mediated process that converts dinitrogen (N2) gas to ammonia (NH3) using the nitrogenase protein complex (Nif).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyanobacteria</span> Phylum of photosynthesising prokaryotes

Cyanobacteria, also called Cyanobacteriota or Cyanophyta, are a phylum of gram-negative bacteria that obtain energy via photosynthesis. The name cyanobacteria refers to their color, which similarly forms the basis of cyanobacteria's common name, blue-green algae, although they are not usually scientifically classified as algae. They appear to have originated in a freshwater or terrestrial environment. Sericytochromatia, the proposed name of the paraphyletic and most basal group, is the ancestor of both the non-photosynthetic group Melainabacteria and the photosynthetic cyanobacteria, also called Oxyphotobacteria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hormogonium</span> Motile filament of cells formed by some cyanobacteria

Hormogonia are motile filaments of cells formed by some cyanobacteria in the order Nostocales and Stigonematales. They are formed during vegetative reproduction in unicellular, filamentous cyanobacteria, and some may contain heterocysts and akinetes.

<i>Trichodesmium</i> Genus of bacteria

Trichodesmium, also called sea sawdust, is a genus of filamentous cyanobacteria. They are found in nutrient poor tropical and subtropical ocean waters. Trichodesmium is a diazotroph; that is, it fixes atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium, a nutrient used by other organisms. Trichodesmium is thought to fix nitrogen on such a scale that it accounts for almost half of the nitrogen fixation in marine systems globally. Trichodesmium is the only known diazotroph able to fix nitrogen in daylight under aerobic conditions without the use of heterocysts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heterocyst</span>

Heterocysts or heterocytes are specialized nitrogen-fixing cells formed during nitrogen starvation by some filamentous cyanobacteria, such as Nostoc punctiforme, Cylindrospermum stagnale, and Anabaena sphaerica. They fix nitrogen from dinitrogen (N2) in the air using the enzyme nitrogenase, in order to provide the cells in the filament with nitrogen for biosynthesis.

Diazotrophs are bacteria and archaea that fix gaseous nitrogen in the atmosphere into a more usable form such as ammonia.

<i>Anabaena</i> Genus of bacteria

Anabaena is a genus of filamentous cyanobacteria that exist as plankton. They are known for nitrogen-fixing abilities, and they form symbiotic relationships with certain plants, such as the mosquito fern. They are one of four genera of cyanobacteria that produce neurotoxins, which are harmful to local wildlife, as well as farm animals and pets. Production of these neurotoxins is assumed to be an input into its symbiotic relationships, protecting the plant from grazing pressure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nostocaceae</span> Family of bacteria

The Nostocaceae are a family of cyanobacteria that forms filament-shaped colonies enclosed in mucus or a gelatinous sheath. Some genera in this family are found primarily in fresh water, while others are found primarily in salt water. Other genera may be found in both fresh and salt water. Most benthic algae of the order Nostocales belong to this family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyanophage</span> Virus that infects cyanobacteria

Cyanophages are viruses that infect cyanobacteria, also known as Cyanophyta or blue-green algae. Cyanobacteria are a phylum of bacteria that obtain their energy through the process of photosynthesis. Although cyanobacteria metabolize photoautotrophically like eukaryotic plants, they have prokaryotic cell structure. Cyanophages can be found in both freshwater and marine environments. Marine and freshwater cyanophages have icosahedral heads, which contain double-stranded DNA, attached to a tail by connector proteins. The size of the head and tail vary among species of cyanophages. Cyanophages infect a wide range of cyanobacteria and are key regulators of the cyanobacterial populations in aquatic environments, and may aid in the prevention of cyanobacterial blooms in freshwater and marine ecosystems. These blooms can pose a danger to humans and other animals, particularly in eutrophic freshwater lakes. Infection by these viruses is highly prevalent in cells belonging to Synechococcus spp. in marine environments, where up to 5% of cells belonging to marine cyanobacterial cells have been reported to contain mature phage particles.

<i>Aphanizomenon</i> Genus of bacteria

Aphanizomenon is a genus of cyanobacteria that inhabits freshwater lakes and can cause dense blooms. They are unicellular organisms that consolidate into linear (non-branching) chains called trichomes. Parallel trichomes can then further unite into aggregates called rafts. Cyanobacteria such as Aphanizomenon are known for using photosynthesis to create energy and therefore use sunlight as their energy source. Aphanizomenon bacteria also play a big role in the Nitrogen cycle since they can perform nitrogen fixation. Studies on the species Aphanizomenon flos-aquae have shown that it can regulate buoyancy through light-induced changes in turgor pressure. It is also able to move by means of gliding, though the specific mechanism by which this is possible is not yet known.

<i>Nostoc pruniforme</i> Species of bacterium

Nostoc pruniforme are a species of cyanobacterium. These freshwater bacteria grow in colonies which take the form of dark green, gelatinous spheres with a smooth surface like a plum. It is common and widely distributed both geographically and ecologically in oligotrophic and mesotrophic freshwaters in temperate and sub-Arctic regions.

Cyanobionts are cyanobacteria that live in symbiosis with a wide range of organisms such as terrestrial or aquatic plants; as well as, algal and fungal species. They can reside within extracellular or intracellular structures of the host. In order for a cyanobacterium to successfully form a symbiotic relationship, it must be able to exchange signals with the host, overcome defense mounted by the host, be capable of hormogonia formation, chemotaxis, heterocyst formation, as well as possess adequate resilience to reside in host tissue which may present extreme conditions, such as low oxygen levels, and/or acidic mucilage. The most well-known plant-associated cyanobionts belong to the genus Nostoc. With the ability to differentiate into several cell types that have various functions, members of the genus Nostoc have the morphological plasticity, flexibility and adaptability to adjust to a wide range of environmental conditions, contributing to its high capacity to form symbiotic relationships with other organisms. Several cyanobionts involved with fungi and marine organisms also belong to the genera Richelia, Calothrix, Synechocystis, Aphanocapsa and Anabaena, as well as the species Oscillatoria spongeliae. Although there are many documented symbioses between cyanobacteria and marine organisms, little is known about the nature of many of these symbioses. The possibility of discovering more novel symbiotic relationships is apparent from preliminary microscopic observations.

<i>Scytonema</i> Genus of cyanophyceae

Scytonema is a genus of photosynthetic cyanobacteria that contains over 100 species. It grows in filaments that form dark mats. Many species are aquatic and are either free-floating or grow attached to a submerged substrate, while others species grow on terrestrial rocks, wood, soil, or plants. Scytonema is a nitrogen fixer, and can provide fixed nitrogen to the leaves of plants on which it is growing. Some species of Scytonema form a symbiotic relationship with fungi to produce a lichen.

Witches' butter may refer to:

Raphidiopsis raciborskii is a freshwater cyanobacterium.

Aulosira is a genus of cyanobacteria found in a variety of environmental niches that forms colonies composed of filaments of moniliform cells.

<i>Nostoc commune</i> Species of bacterium

Nostoc commune is a species of cyanobacterium in the family Nostocaceae. Common names include star jelly, witch's butter, mare's eggs, fah-tsai and facai. It is the type species of the genus Nostoc and is cosmopolitan in distribution.

<i>Rivularia</i> (cyanobacteria) Genus of bacteria

Rivularia is a genus of cyanobacteria of the family Rivulariaceae.

<i>Gloeotrichia</i> Genus of bacteria

Gloeotrichia is a large (~2 mm) colonial genus of Cyanobacteria, belonging to the order Nostocales. The name Gloeotrichia is derived from its appearance of filamentous body with mucilage matrix. Found in lakes across the globe, gloeotrichia are notable for the important roles that they play in the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles. Gloeotrichia are also a species of concern for lake managers, as they have been shown to push lakes towards eutrophication and produce deadly toxins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyanobacterial morphology</span> Form and structure of a phylum

Cyanobacterial morphology refers to the form or shape of cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are a large and diverse phylum of bacteria defined by their unique combination of pigments and their ability to perform oxygenic photosynthesis.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Fidor, Anna; Konkel, Robert; Mazur-Marzec, Hanna (2019-09-29). "Bioactive Peptides Produced by Cyanobacteria of the Genus Nostoc: A Review". Marine Drugs. 17 (10): 561. doi: 10.3390/md17100561 . ISSN   1660-3397. PMC   6835634 . PMID   31569531.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sand-Jensen, Kaj (July 2014). "Ecophysiology of gelatinous Nostoc colonies: unprecedented slow growth and survival in resource-poor and harsh environments". Annals of Botany. 114 (1): 17–33. doi:10.1093/aob/mcu085. ISSN   1095-8290. PMC   4071103 . PMID   24966352.
  3. 1 2 3 "SS-AGR-431/AG430: Biology and Management of Nostoc (Cyanobacteria) in Nurseries and Greenhouses". edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  4. ↑ Potts, M. (1997). "Etymology of the Genus Name Nostoc (Cyanobacteria)" (PDF). International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology. 47 (2): 584. doi: 10.1099/00207713-47-2-584 . Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-08-11. Retrieved 2011-11-05.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Aguilar, Pablo; Dorador, Cristina; Vila, Irma; Sommaruga, Ruben (2019). "Bacterial Communities Associated With Spherical Nostoc Macrocolonies". Frontiers in Microbiology. 10: 483. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00483 . ISSN   1664-302X. PMC   6437075 . PMID   30949138.
  6. ↑ Nowruzi, Bahareh; Haghighat, Setareh; Fahimi, Hossein; Mohammadi, Ehsan (March 2018). "Nostoc cyanobacteria species: a new and rich source of novel bioactive compounds with pharmaceutical potential". Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research. 9 (1): 5–12. doi: 10.1111/jphs.12202 . S2CID   80405030.
  7. ↑ Bhandari, Rupali; Sharma, Prabhat Kumar (2006). "High-light–induced Changes on Photosynthesis, Pigments, Sugars, Lipids and Antioxidant Enzymes in Freshwater (Nostoc spongiaeforme) and Marine (Phormidium corium) Cyanobacteria". Photochemistry and Photobiology. 82 (3): 702–710. doi:10.1562/2005-09-20-ra-690. ISSN   0031-8655. PMID   16464127. S2CID   24222149.
  8. 1 2 3 Li, Zhuoyu; Guo, Min (2018). "Healthy efficacy of Nostoc commune Vaucher". Oncotarget. 9 (18): 14669–14679. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.23620. PMC   5865699 . PMID   29581873.
  9. ↑ Deane, Green (2011-08-31). "Nostoc Num Nums". Eat The Weeds and other things, too. Archived from the original on 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Mollenhauer, Dieter; Bengtsson, Roland; Lindstrøm, Eli-Anne (1999). "Macroscopic cyanobacteria of the genus Nostoc: a neglected and endangered constituent of European inland aquatic biodiversity". European Journal of Phycology. 34 (4): 349–360. doi:10.1080/09670269910001736412.
  11. ↑ Abbott, I. A. (1989). "Food and food products from seaweeds". In Lembi, C. A.; Waaland, J. R. (eds.). Algae and human affairs. Cambridge University Press, Phycological Society of America. p. 141. ISBN   978-0-521-32115-0.

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