cyanobacterium
noun
Note: Like other bacteria, cyanobacteria lack a nuclear membrane and membrane-bound organelles and have cell walls containing peptidoglycan. However, cyanobacteria were more commonly grouped with algae in the past because they possess a type of chlorophyll (chlorophyll a) not found in other bacteria and because they produce oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis.
called also blue-green alga
Examples of cyanobacterium in a Sentence
Victoria Moorwood, USA TODAY, 15 Apr. 2023
Here's what to know Gardening:How to prevent those pesky spring weeds in your lawn (or not) What is Nostoc commune, also known as star jelly? Nostoc commune, also referred to as star jelly, witch's butter and mare's eggs, is a species of cyanobacterium that grows in countries all over the world.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2023
Molecular geneticist Susan Golden of the University of California, San Diego, has helped to decode the molecular machinery regulating time in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus, and coauthored a description of the clock in the Annual Review of Genetics.
—Adam Mann, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2020
Nostoc azollae, a cyanobacterium species that lives inside Azolla leaves, captures nitrogen from the air and converts it into a form that the ferns — and rice plants — can use.
—Erika K Carlson, Discover Magazine, 2 July 2018
Evidence hinted that the Azolla fern and its cyanobacterium partner might share a long evolutionary past together.
—Erika K Carlson, Discover Magazine, 2 July 2018
From experiments with the fern’s genome, Li’s team found that the cyanobacterium’s ability to capture nitrogen from air keeps the fern nourished when other nitrogen sources aren’t available.
—Erika K Carlson, Discover Magazine, 2 July 2018
Dolastatin 10 is the potent chemical compound discovered from a marine cyanobacterium that inspired the main ADC cytotoxic warhead molecule.
—Brittany Edelmann, Discover Magazine, 14 Oct. 2022
Lichens are actually two organisms working together: a fungus and either alga or cyanobacterium.
—Corryn Wetzel, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Feb. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cyanobacterium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
New Latin
1974, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near cyanobacterium
Cite this Entry
“Cyanobacterium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cyanobacterium. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
cyanobacterium
noun
Medical Definition
cyanobacterium
noun
called also blue-green alga
Share