''Synechocystis'' is a genus of unicellular, freshwater

cyanobacteria 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, bl ...

in the family Merismopediaceae. It includes a strain, ''Synechocystis'' sp. PCC 6803, which is a well studied

model organism A model organism (often shortened to model) is a non-human species that is extensively studied to understand particular biological phenomena, with the expectation that discoveries made in the model organism will provide insight into the workin ...

Like all cyanobacteria, ''Synechocystis'' branches on the evolutionary tree from its ancestral root, '' Gloeobacter violaceus''. ''Synechocystis'' is not

diazotrophic Diazotrophs are bacteria and archaea that fix gaseous nitrogen in the atmosphere into a more usable form such as ammonia. A diazotroph is a microorganism that is able to grow without external sources of fixed nitrogen. Examples of organisms that d ...

, and is closely related to another model organism, '' Cyanothece'' ATCC 51442. It has been suggested that originally ''Synechocystis'' possessed the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, but lost the genes required for the process.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7662346 Cyanobacteria genera Synechococcales Bacteria genera

See also

References