Flotation characteristics of cyanobacterium Anabaena flos-aquae for gas vesicle production.

Cyanobacterium Anabaena flos-aquae was cultivated in photobioreactors for production of intracellular gas vesicles (GVs), as potential oxygen microcarriers. Natural flotation of the buoyant culture was investigated as a potential means of cell harvesting, because filtration and centrifugation tended to destroy the vesicles. Best flotation was found with actively growing culture and when conducted in the dark.