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A study of the strength and stability of gas vesicles isolated from a blue-green alga

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Summary

The strength of intact gas vesicle membranes isolated from the bluegreen alga Anabaena flos-aquae was investigated under different physical and chemical conditions some of which might be important in determining their stability in living cells. High concentrations of urea and of divalent cations, pH's above 9 and below 7, exposure to proteolytic enzymes and temperatures over 40°C, all resulted in weakening of the gas vesicles, as indicated by changes in their range of critical-collapse pressure. Detergents gave no apparent increase in critical pressure, suggesting that the interfacial tension at the outer surface of the membrane is very small.

Taking these properties into consideration a simple method of isolating intact gas vesicles was improved to give better than 50% recovery and membranes of 97.6% purity. The gas vesicles prepared in this way could be preserved intact by freeze-drying. The stability of gas vesicles in different environments is discussed in relation to their proteinaceous composition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Westfield College, University of London, N. W. 3, London, England

    Barbara Buckland & A. E. Walsby

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  1. Barbara Buckland
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  2. A. E. Walsby
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Buckland, B., Walsby, A.E. A study of the strength and stability of gas vesicles isolated from a blue-green alga. Archiv. Mikrobiol. 79, 327–337 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00424908

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00424908

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