cyanobacterium

noun

cy·a·no·bac·te·ri·um | \ ˌsī-ə-nō-bak-ˈtir-ē-əm

, sī-ˌa-nō- \

Definition of cyanobacterium

: any of a major group (Cyanobacteria) of photosynthetic bacteria that are single-celled but often form colonies in the form of filaments, sheets, or spheres and are found in diverse environments (such as salt and fresh water, soils, and on rocks)

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

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Examples of cyanobacterium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The cyanobacterium was a new species, which Wilde named Aetokthonos hydrillicola in 2014. — Erik Stokstad, Science | AAAS, "After more than 2 decades of searching, scientists finger cause of mass eagle deaths," 25 Mar. 2021 In a fateful encounter, a cyanobacterium was engulfed by a eukaryote, a cell that had evolved the capacity for internal organs, and lived on within its membrane. — Lucy Jakub, The New York Review of Books, "The Oldest Forest," 1 Dec. 2020 His team used a type of cyanobacterium from the genus Synechococcus. — Sophie Bushwick, Scientific American, "Bacteria-Filled Bricks Build Themselves," 15 Jan. 2020 Polluted Midwest floodwaters have fed an outbreak of cyanobacterium. — Washington Post, "The Latest: Toxic bacteria keep Mississippi beaches closed," 15 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cyanobacterium.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

31 Mar 2021

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“Cyanobacterium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cyanobacterium. Accessed 15 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for cyanobacterium

cyanobacterium

noun

cy·a·no·bac·te·ri·um | \ -bak-ˈtir-ē-əm

plural cyanobacteria\ -ē-ə \

Medical Definition of cyanobacterium

: any of a major group (Cyanobacteria) of photosynthetic bacteria that produce molecular oxygen and use water as an electron-donating substrate in photosynthesis

— called also blue-green alga

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