Abstract
Environmental factors affecting geosmin production by Oscillatoria brevis have been investigated under laboratory conditions using continuous culture techniques. Transition from light to nutrient limited growth conditions caused a two-fold decrease in geosmin production. However, geosmin content increased relative to pigment content (chlorophyll a and carotenoids). It has been suggested that geosmin biosynthesis in O. brevis proceeds via the isoprenoid pathway as was found in actinomycetes. Accordingly, we investigated the effect of inhibitors of the intermediate stages in this synthetic pathway in order to study the regulation of geosmin production in relation to pigment synthesis. It was concluded that geosmin seemed to function as an overflow metabolite in this pathway. Due to the only modest changes in geosmin production per dry weight compared to changes in biomass levels during light- or nutrient limited growth, contamination of eutrophic fresh waters with geosmin appears to depend mainly on the species present and its biomass level and only to a limited extent on nutrient enhanced synthesis.
Published Version
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