Fifty seven taxa of Cyanobacteria and 15 taxa of Chlorophyta were recorded from the exterior of buildings and rock surfaces of monuments in different regions in India. Four cyanobacteria, e.g. Chroococcidiopsis kashayi, Pseudophormidium indicum, Plectonema puteale and Scytonema geitleri, and the green alga Trentepholia abietina var. tenue occur on the sub-aerial habitats throughout the year. In addition, five other green algae: Chlorococcum infusionum, Scenedesmus arcuatus, Trentepholia aurea, Gloeocystis polydermatica and Printzina effusa, and 18 other cyanobacteria taxa of the genera Chroococcus (5), Asterocapsa (1), Cyanosarcina (2), Gloeocapsa (7), Gloeothece (2) and Scytonema (1) occur on the sub-aerial surfaces enduring extreme temperature and desiccation during summer months of the tropics. During the rainy season, the warm and humid climatic regime coupled with availability of moisture supported an additional ten green algae and 29 cyanobacteria in eight and 17 genera, respectively. The green algal genera Klebsormidium, Stichococcus and Trebouxia, which are dominant in temperate regions, did not occur on the sub-aerial habitats in India, however, species of Gloeocapsa, Chroococcus, Chroococcidiopsis, Phormidium, Leptolyngbya, Nostoc, Scytonema, Chlorella and Trentepholia showed global occurrence in similar habitats.

Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Several phototrophic microorganisms, principally cyanobacteria species predominantly sheathed forms occur as biofilms on the exposed surface of stone temples, monument as well as building facades receiving areas. A study was conducted to analyse the potential of six sub-aerial cyanobacteria species belonging to three genera, i.e. Scytonema, Tolypothrix and Westiellopsis which were recorded as the main components in the biofilms isolated from 10 different sub-aerial sites (six building facades, three stone temples and one mortar monument) of Bhubaneswar and Puri, Odisha under laboratory culture conditions. The sub-aerial cyanobacteria strains were morphological characterized and changes in their biochemical constituents were analyzed in terms of total chlorophyll-a, total soluble protein, total carotenoids, total phycobiliproteins including phycocyanin, phycoerythrin and allophycocyanin, total cellular carbohydrate and extracellular polysaccharides in response to different time interval culture in BG-11 media. The analysis showed that maximum amount of total chlorophyll-a in Scytonema hyalinum (8.98µgml-1 ) and minimum in Westiellopsis prolifica (3.78µgml -1 -1 ) and minimum in Scytonema hyalinum (44.9µgml -1 ) whereas, the total extracellular polysaccharides contents were found to be higher in Tolypothrix rechingeri and Scytonema ocellatum on 32 th days growth (64.54µgml -1 and 58.98µgml -1 respectively). Study showed that Qualitative phytochemical screening of sub-aerial cyanobacteria revealed its bioactive phytochemical constituents to be alkaloids, phenol and Flavonoid etc. Acetone, methanol and chloroform are better and more efficient solvent extractors of the bioactive phytochemical constituents which vary from species to species. However, the overall response during the investigation it was observed sub-aerial cyanobacteria are prolific producers of primary and secondary metabolite(s) that may act as the antimicrobial drug resource in addition to their much explored marine and freshwater counterpart. This study is expected to contribute to data base for the drugs discovery as raw material for both biotechnological applications as well as in industrial uses for benefit of future generation.

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