Application of molecular genetic and microbiological techniques in ecology and biotechnology of cyanobacteria

The review discusses the advances and problems in biotechnology and ecology of cyanobacteria and considers the possibilities of molecular genetic and microbiological techniques in this field. Due to the ease of cultivation, high growth rate, availability of synchronous cultures, and existence of numerous molecular genetic and microbiological techniques for various cyanobacterial strains, cyanobacteria—prokaryotic organisms that are ancient relatives of the chloroplasts—are model organisms in the studies of photosynthesis, dinitrogen fixation, cell division, hydrogen production, and in a number of other areas of basic and applied science. These techniques make possible deeper understanding of the role of cyanobacteria in various ecosystems and utilization of their potential in numerous applied projects, including production of molecular hydrogen, phycobiliproteins, and cyanophycin; formation of nanoparticles; removal of heavy metals from the environment; substrate biodegradation; manufacture of products for medicine and food industry; and solution of the problem of cyanobacterial toxins in freshwater and marine environments.