Question

What do heterocysts do in cyanobacteria?

Answer 1

Cyanobacteria:

1. Cyanobacteria are aquatic and photosynthetic bacteria that are quite small in size and are generally unicellular.
2. Another name for cyanobacteria is blue-green algae.
3. Examples of cyanobacteria: Nostoc, Oscillatoria, Spirulina

Heterocysts:

1. A large transparent cell in the filament of some cyanobacteria is known as heterocyst.
2. The cell wall of heterocysts is thick.

Function of heterocysts in cyanobacteria:

1. Heterocysts abandon oxygen and thus stopping the photosynthesis in cyanobacteria.
2. Heterocysts fix nitrogen with the help of enzyme nitrogenase.
3. Thus, heterocysts provide nitrogen to the cyanobacterial cell for biosynthesis.

Thus, heterocysts in cyanobacteria help in nitrogen fixation.