''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous

cyanobacterium Cyanobacteria (), also known as Cyanophyta, are a phylum of gram-negative bacteria that obtain energy via photosynthesis. The name ''cyanobacteria'' refers to their color (), which similarly forms the basis of cyanobacteria's common name, blu ...

which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the

oscillating Oscillation is the repetitive or periodic variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states. Familiar examples of oscillation include a swinging pendulum ...

motion of its filaments as they slide against each other to position the colony facing a light source. ''Oscillatoria'' reproduces by fragmentation, facilitated by dead cells which separate a filament into separate sections, or

hormogonia Hormogonia are motile filaments of cells formed by some cyanobacteria in the order Nostocales and Stigonematales. They are formed during vegetative reproduction in unicellular, filamentous cyanobacteria, and some may contain heterocysts and ...

, which then grow. ''Oscillatoria'' uses photosynthesis to survive and reproduce. Each filament of oscillatoria consists of trichome which is made up of rows of cells. The tip of the trichome oscillates like a pendulum. In reproduction, it takes place by vegetative means only. Usually the filament breaks into a number of fragments called hormogonia. Each hormogonium consist of one or more cells and grow into a filament by cell division in one direction. ''Oscillatoria'' are the subject of research into the natural production of

butylated hydroxytoluene Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), also known as dibutylhydroxytoluene, is a lipophilic organic compound, chemically a derivative of phenol, that is useful for its antioxidant properties. BHT is widely used to prevent free radical-mediated oxidat ...

(BHT), an antioxidant, food additive and industrial chemical. Cyclic peptides called venturamides, which may have anti- malarial activity, have been isolated from bacteria in this genus. They are the first peptides with this activity to have been found in cyanobacteria.

Species

''Oscillatoria'' contains the following species: *'' Oscillatoria amoena'' (Kützing) Gomont *'' Oscillatoria anguiformis'' (P. González Guerrero) Anagnostidis *'' Oscillatoria anguina'' Bory ''ex'' Gomont *'' Oscillatoria annae'' van Goor *''

Oscillatoria bonnemaisonii ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' (P. L. Crouan & H. M. Crouan) P. L. Crouan & H. M. Crouan ''ex'' Gomont *''

Oscillatoria brevis ''Oscillatoria brevis,'' is a species of the genus ''Oscillatoria'' first identified in 1892. It is a Blue-green filamentous cyanobacteria, which can be found in brackish and fresh waterways. ''O. brevis'' can also be isolated from soil. ''Osci ...

'' Kützing ''ex'' Gomont *'' Ocillatoria chalybea'' Mertens ''ex'' Gomont *'' Oscillatoria chilkensis'' Biswas *'' Oscillatoria crassa'' (Rao) Anagnostidis *'' Oscillatoria croasdaleae'' Kamat *'' Oscillatoria curviceps'' C. Agardh ''ex'' Gomont *'' Oscillatoria depauperata'' (Copeland) Anagnostidis *'' Oscillatoria engelmanniana'' Gaidukov *'' Oscillatoria euboeica'' Anagnostidis *'' Oscillatoria fischeri'' Corda ''ex'' Forti *''

Oscillatoria fracta ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' Carlson *''

Oscillatoria froelichii ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' Kützing ''ex'' Gomont *''

Oscillatoria funiformis ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' (Vouk) Komárek *''

Oscillatoria indica ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' P. C. Silva *''

Oscillatoria jenensis ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' G. Schmid *'' Oscillatoria levis'' (Gardner) Anagnostidis *''

Oscillatoria limosa ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' C. Agardh ''ex'' Gomont *'' Oscillatoria limnetica'' Lemmermann *''

Oscillatoria mahabaleshwarensis ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of Filamentation, filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillation, oscillating motion of its filaments as the ...

'' Kamat *'' Oscillatoria major'' Vaucher ''ex'' Hansgirg *''

Oscillatoria margaritifera ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' Kützing ''ex'' Gomont *''

Oscillatoria miniata ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' (Zanardini) Hauck ''ex'' Gomont *'' Oscillatoria minutissima'' P. González *'' Oscillatoria muralis'' (Dillwyn) C. Agardh *''

Oscillatoria nitida ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' Schkorbatov *'' Oscillatoria nylstromica'' Claassen *''

Oscillatoria obscura ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' Brühl & Biswas *'' Oscillatoria olivaceobrunnea'' L. Hoffmann & V. Demoulin *''

Oscillatoria princeps ''Oscillatoria princeps'' is the type species ( lectotype) of the cyanobacterial (blue green algal) genus ''Oscillatoria''. The cyanobacterium is dark blue green in colour, due to the presence of the phycobilin pigments phycocyanin and phycoery ...

'' Vaucher ''ex'' Gomont *'' Oscillatoria proboscidea'' Gomont *'' Oscillatoria pulchra'' Lindstedt *'' Oscillatoria rhamphoidea'' Anagnostidis *'' Oscillatoria ribeyi'' F. E. Drouet *'' Oscillatoria rubescens'' De Candolle ''ex'' Gomont *''

Oscillatoria sancta ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' Kützing ''ex'' Gomont *'' Oscillatoria subbrevis'' Schmidle *'' Oscillatoria subcapitata'' Ponomarev *'' Oscillatoria tapetiformis'' Zenker ''ex'' Gomont *'' Oscillatoria tenioides'' (Bory de Saint-Vincent) Bory de Saint-Vincent ''ex'' Gomont *''

Oscillatoria trichoides ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'' Szafer *'' Oscillatoria versicolor'' G. Martens ''ex'' Prain *'' Oscillatoria willei'' N. L. Gardner

References

* http://faculty.mdc.edu/jmorata/Slide%20Study%20Gyomamauide.pdf

External links

*https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055858/http://133.25.19.145/pdb/images/Prokaryotes/Oscillatoriaceae/Oscillatoria/index.html Oscillatoriales Cyanobacteria genera {{cyanobacteria-stub