Anabaena variabilis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Bacteria
Phylum:	Cyanobacteria
Class:	Cyanophyceae
Order:	Nostocales
Family:	Nostocaceae
Genus:	Anabaena
Species:	A. variabilis
Binomial name
Anabaena variabilis Kützing ex Bornet & Flahault, 1886

Anabaena variabilis is a species of filamentous cyanobacterium. This species of the genus Anabaena and the domain Eubacteria is capable of photosynthesis. This species is heterotrophic, meaning that it may grow without light in the presence of fructose. It also can convert atmospheric dinitrogen to ammonia via nitrogen fixation.

Anabaena variabilis is a phylogenic-cousin of the more well-known species Nostoc spirrilum. Both of these species along with many other cyanobacteria are known to form symbiotic relationships with plants. Other cyanobacteria are known to form symbiotic relationships with diatoms, though no such relationship has been observed with Anabaena variabilis.

Anabaena variabilis is also a model organism for studying the beginnings of multicellular life due to its filamentous characterization and cellular-differentiation capabilities.

References[edit]

Page 12 Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson.

Further reading[edit]

• Ungerer, Justin; Brenda Pratte; Teresa Thiel (December 2008). "Regulation of fructose transport and its effect on fructose toxicity in Anabaena spp". Journal of Bacteriology. 190 (24): 8115–25. doi:10.1128/JB.00886-08. PMC 2593219. PMID 18931119.
• Kaplan, Aaron; Badger, Murray R.; Berry, Joseph A. (1980). "Photosynthesis and the intracellular inorganic carbon pool in the bluegreen alga Anabaena variabilis: Response to external CO2 concentration". Planta. 149 (3): 219–26. doi:10.1007/BF00384557. PMID 24306290. S2CID 20135236.
• Islam, MS; Drasar, BS; Bradley, DJ (1990). "Long-term persistence of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae 01 in the mucilaginous sheath of a blue-green alga, Anabaena variabilis". The Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 93 (2): 133–9. PMID 2109096.
• Pearce, J.; Leach, C. K.; Carr, N. G. (1969). "The Incomplete Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle in the Blue-green Alga Anabaena Variabilis". Journal of General Microbiology. 55 (3): 371–8. doi:10.1099/00221287-55-3-371. PMID 5783887.
• Volokita, M.; Zenvirth, D.; Kaplan, A.; Reinhold, L. (1984). "Nature of the Inorganic Carbon Species Actively Taken Up by the Cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis". Plant Physiology. 76 (3): 599–602. doi:10.1104/pp.76.3.599. PMC 1064339. PMID 16663890.