a DE differentiated cyanobacterial cell that carries out nitrogen fixation
In some cyanobacteria, a large, thick-walled cell involved in nitrogen fixation
One of three types of specialized cells that form in filamentous cyanobacteria in response to environmental conditions, involved in the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen.
A specialized cell that undergoes nitrogen fixation on some filamentous cyanobacteria.
A large, thick-walled cell in the filaments of certain cyanobacteria; performs nitrogen fixation.
Heterocysts are specialized nitrogen-fixing cells formed by some filamentous cyanobacteria, such as Nostoc punctiforme, Cylindrospermum stagnale and Anabaena sperica, during nitrogen starvation. They fix nitrogen from dinitrogen (N2) in the air using the enzyme nitrogenase, in order to provide the cells in the filament with nitrogen for biosynthesis. Nitrogenase is inactivated by oxygen, so the heterocyst must create a microanaerobic environment.
