Differences between Algae and Cyanobacteria

Algae

• Green algae singular ‘alga’ refers to any green color algae have photosynthetic capability, found in fresh water habitat.
• They are eukaryotic organisms.
• Algal body are consists of membrane- bound organelles.
• It contains one or more chloroplast per cell.
• Algae do not involve in nitrogen fixation.
• It can reproduce their offspring by sexually or asexually.
• They have less ability to store nutrients in their cell body.
• Algae usually contain a nucleus and mitochondria.
• Green algae are symbiotic in character, which means they can produce lichen symbiotically with fungi in a form of symbiosis
• Chlamydomonas, Spirogyra, Chlorella and green seaweeds are examples of algae.

Cyanobacteria

• Cyanobacteria is considered as any kind of photosynthetic bacteria that exhibit filamentous structure, sheets and also spheres to form colonies and found in diverse environments.
• They are Prokaryotic microorganisms.
• Their cell body are not consists of membrane –bound organelles.
• They do not contain chloroplasts so cannot produce their own food.
• They are significantly Involve in nitrogen fixation.
• Cyanobacteria reproduce asexually by the process of binary fission and develop their progeny. They also can reproduce by fragmentation or spore formation.
• They have the ability to efficient storage of nutrients.
• There is a lack a nucleus and mitochondria in the cell of Cyanobacteria
• Based on their sub-species their positive or negative activities are determined
•  Nostoc, Anabaena and spirulna are the examples of Cyanobacteria

Written by:

Md. Rayhan Mahmud

Admin of Microbial World