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Articles

The Azolla, Anabaena azollae Relationship

I. Initial Characterization of the Association ¹

^a Charles F. Kettering Research Laboratory, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387

Cultures of Azolla caroliniana Willd. free of the symbiotic blue-green alga, Anabaena azollae, were obtained by treatment of Azolla fronds with a regimen of antibiotics. These symbiontfree plants can be maintained only on medium containing a combined nitrogen source.

Morphological aspects of the symbiotic association show the confinement of the Anabaena azollae within the leaf cavity of the Azolla. Procedures were established for the isolation of pure preparations of Anabaena azollae and Azolla chloroplasts. It has not yet been possible to grow the isolated alga in independent culture.

Photochemical activities of the isolated alga and fern chloroplasts were measured by spectrophotometric assays for photosystems I and II as well as by P700-content (photosystem I) and delayed light emission (photosystem II). In the algal fraction, both photosystems were repressed when compared to freeliving Anabaena cylindrica, but the relative ratio of photosystem I to photosystem II may be appreciably greater in Anabaena azollae. Azolla chloroplasts were generally comparable to spinach chloroplasts.

A comparison of the chlorophyll a and b content of Azolla fronds with and without the symbiotic alga resulted in an estimate that in the symbiotic association, the Anabaena azollae accounts for from 7.5 to 15% of the total chlorophyll.

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