Tolypothrix tenuis J-1

History of Receipt and Isolation

• Country of origin: Republic of Kazakhstan
• Site of isolation: village of Avangard, Zhanakorgan District, Kyzylorda Region
• Habitat: rice fields and aquatic ecosystems
• Isolator(s): Sadvakasova A.K., Zayadan B.K., Kossalbayev B.D., Bauenova M.O. at the Biotechnology Laboratory of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
• Year of accession to the collection: 2022
• Last identification: Sadvakasova A.K., Zayadan B.K., Kossalbayev B.D., Bauenova M.O., 2023
• Method of strain acquisition: isolated from an enrichment culture obtained from a natural sample by sequential microbiological streaking
• Genetic features: Wild type (WT)
• Culture condition: Axenic

Morphology and Structure

Trichomes are straight, sometimes slightly curved, immobile, and up to 68–74 µm long. Bush-like growth is sometimes observed due to false branching, mainly at sites of heterocyst formation. Vegetative cells are cylindrical, isodiametric, light green, homogeneous, non-granular, 1.3–3.2 µm. Heterocysts are intercalary, spherical or elongated, yellow-green, 3.0–5.9 × 2.3–3.2 µm. Akinetes are absent. Reproduction occurs by binary cell division in one plane. On solid medium, the strain forms yellow-green colonies.

Cultivation

• Nutrient media: BG-11, Allen's, Bold's (liquid and agarized)
• Temperature: 25–30 °C
• Light intensity: 30–40 µmol photons/m²/s
• Photoperiod: continuous illumination
• pH: about 7.0

Physiological Characteristics

Mesophilic heterocystous filamentous cyanobacterium. It is characterized by false branching and the formation of intercalary heterocysts. Akinetes are absent. The strain has nitrogen-fixing potential; in the acetylene reduction assay, its activity was 2.52 ± 0.06 nmol ethylene mg⁻¹ dry weight h⁻¹.

Long-term Preservation Conditions

stored on agarized mineral BG-11 medium at 20 ± 2 °C under low illumination (300–500 lux). Maximum storage period: 2–3 months.

Deposition Information

The strain was deposited in the RSE on the REM “Republican Collection of Microorganisms” of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Collection number: RKM-0964.

Genetic Information

A fragment of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analysis, the strain was identified as Tolypothrix tenuis J-1. GenBank accession number: MZ079361.

Field of Application

The strain is used in experimental studies. It is promising for the development of biofertilizers, soil nitrogen enrichment, improvement of crop productivity, bioremediation, and algal-cyanobacterial biofilm formation.

Bibliography

1. Sadvakasova A.K. et al. Influence of Mo and Fe on Photosynthetic and Nitrogenase Activities of Nitrogen-Fixing Cyanobacteria under Nitrogen Starvation. Cells. 2022; 11(5):904. DOI: 10.3390/cells11050904.

Patents and Other Intellectual Property

Utility model patent No. 8446. Application No. 2023/0264.2 dated 16.03.2023. Publication date: 13.10.2023. Title: “Strain of the cyanobacterium Tolypothrix tenuis J-1 used to enrich the soil with nitrogen and increase crop yields.” Patent holder: Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Non-profit Joint-Stock Company. Authors: Sadvakasova A.K., Bauenova M.O., Kossalbayev B.D., Zayadan B.K., Kirbayeva D.K., Ybray S.N.