does hormogonia contain the heterocysts also.. n how does it reproduce by forming akinetes ? m very confused plz.. help ..
Some filamentous cyanobacteria like Nostoc , Anabaena etc. produce specialized nitrogen fixing cells during nitrogen starvation called heterocysts. In some bacteria these heterocysts finally break out into several fragmented filaments called hormogonia and undergo asexual reproduction. Akinete is a dormant cell formed from the vegetative cell of cyanobacteria. It acts as survival cell as it remains filled with food reserves which is supplied to the bacteria during resting state.