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Bioprospecting study of Nostoc sp. Macrocolonies in the Ecuadorian andes

Abstract:

A study on bioprospection of the cyanobacteria Nostoc in the Ecuadorian Andes, collected in the Cayambe-Coca National Park, paramo of Papallacta town, Cevallos, and Pintag-Pichincha was performed. Morphological analysis, detection of soluble pigments, ability of desiccation tolerance, isolation and growth in batch cultures were realized. Six morphotypes were identified, the green and the black warty were the most abundant, followed by globose-granular and gelatinous morphotypes. The highest content of chlorophyll a was obtained in black warty (25.5 μg/ml) and green warty (24 μg/ml), while carotenoids accumulated more in the gelatinous (10.5 μg/ml). The warty green morphotype isolated on solid medium showed growth capacity to one liter culture BG110 medium. This nitrogen fixing aerophytic cyanobacteria, with tolerance to drought and nutrient limitation is a valuable biological resource for ecological physiology studies, and for the production of biomass of interest in biotechnology.