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Article: Cyanobacteria
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- Biology
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Cyanobacteria
Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are microorganisms that structurally resemble bacteria (they lack a
nucleus
and
organelles
). However, unlike other bacteria, cyanobacteria contain chlorophyll
a
and conduct oxygenic photosynthesis. Cyanobacteria are approximately 2.5 billion years old and thus are the oldest oxygenic phototrophs on Earth. The early evolution of Earth's oxygen-rich atmosphere is most likely due to cyanobacterial photosynthesis.
Cyanobacteria are morphologically and physiologically diverse and broadly distributed in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Morphological groups include coccoid, filamentous nonheterocystous, and heterocystous genera. ...