Accumulation of trehalose and sucrose in cyanobacteria exposed to matric water stress

Abstract

The drought-resistant cyanobacteria Phormidium autumnale, strain LPP4, and a Chroococcidiopsis sp. accumulated trehalose, sucrose, and both trehalose and sucrose, respectively, in response to matric water stress. Accumulated sugar concentrations reached values of up to 6.2 μg of trehalose per μg of chlorophyll in P. autumnale, 6.9 μg of sucrose per μg of chlorophyll in LPP4, and 4.1 μg of sucrose and 3.2 μg of trehalose per μg of chlorophyll in the Chroococcidiopsis sp. The same sugars were accumulated by these cyanobacteria in similar concentrations under osmotic water stress. Cyanobacteria that did not show drought resistance (Plectouema boryanum and Synechococcus strain PCC 7942) did not accumulate significant amounts of sugars when matric water stress was applied.