Effect of hydration and dehydration on initiation and dynamics of some physiological reactions in desiccation tolerant cyanobacterium Scytonema geitleri.

ABSTRACT

The effect of hydration and dehydration has been studied on extent and recovery of some metabolic reactions in desiccation tolerant terrestrial cyanobacterium Scytonema geitleri. The results show that the energy transducing reactions like photochemical reactions of photosynthesis recover first, followed by increase in ATP pool size. During later phase of hydration, appearance of energy consuming processes such as CO2 fixation and nitrogen fixation have been observed. Sensitivity of reactions during dehydration followed the pattern reverse to recovery processes.