Effect of mercury and cadmium on the growth of Anacystis nidulans

Anacystis nidulans is a member of the cyanobacteria, one of the largest and most diverse groups in the prokaryotic kingdom. The structure and chemistry of the cell wall, cell division and genetic recombination are all similar to those of other bacteria. Photoautotrophy is the main mode of nutrition and its photosynthetic apparatus is similar to that of other cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are excellent organisms to serve as models for the investigation of a wide variety of biological problems such as acting as environmental pollution indicators. There have been several studies on the effects of heavy metals on A. nidulans . Some of these elements, such as copper, are known to be essential nutrients for cyanobacteria. Others, like cadmium, are not known to be necessary for normal growth and metabolism. Large amounts of either essential or non-essential elements can be toxic.