Characterization of several tropical strains of Anabaena and Nostoc: Morphological and physiological properties, and plasmid content

Summary Thirty Anabaena and Nostoc strains isolated from West African soils were characterized for their morphological and physiological properties, and surveyed for plasmids. Most strains were found to harbour one to five plasmids whose molecular masses ranged from 1.5 to 120–150×10 6 daltons. No relationship between these plasmids and phenotypic properties such as carbon source utilization, antibiotic resistance or cyanophage and toxin production could be established.