DELAY OF CELL-DIFFERENTIATION IN ANABAENA-AEQUALIS CAUSED BY UV-B RADIATION AND THE ROLE OF PHOTOREACTIVATION AND EXCISION-REPAIR

The effect of ultraviolet light on cell differentiation was studied in the cyanobacterium Anabaena aequalis. Exposure of cells to UV-B wavelengths (280-320 nm) significantly delayed the differentiation of vegetative cells into heterocysts and akinetes at doses up to 56 kJ m(-2). Heterocyst differentiation was essentially stopped at all exposure levels when photoreactivation was prevented, even when excision repair was available to the cells. Photoreactivated samples produced heterocysts at doses through 28 kJ m(-2), after which differentiation dropped steeply to near zero levels. Some recovery of differentiation was evident at higher doses but at levels much below that of controls. Akinete differentiation was only slightly delayed by the exposures when cells were photoreactivated. Samples then showed rapid differentiation with the numbers of akinetes significantly greater than controls. Cells that did not receive photoreactivating light showed a greater initial delay in differentiation but 2 weeks after the exposures had recovered to control levels. Caffeine had more effect on the differentiation of akinetes than heterocysts. Inhibition of excision repair greatly reduced differentiation in photoreactivated samples and essentially eliminated differentiation in the nonphotoreactivated samples.