State 1 and State 2 in Photosynthetic Apparatus of Red Microalgae and Cyanobacteria

Biochemistry (Moscow) - Imbalanced light absorption by photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) in oxygenic phototrophs leads to changes in interaction of photosystems altering the linear...     

Strong Isotope Effect in Energy Confinement at the FT-2 Tokamak

Plasma Physics Reports - The effect of the isotope content of plasma (hydrogen/deuterium) on energy confinement time was studied at the FT-2 tokamak. A strong isotope effect is discovered, which is...     

The Influence of Salinity on the Rate of Dark Respiration and Structure of the Cells of Brown Algae Thalli from the Barents Sea Littoral

We studied the changes in the rate of dark respiration (DR) and structure of the cells in Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus thalli during the incubation at 40, 34, 20, 10, and 2 salinity for 14 days. The changes in salinity affected the rate of DR and the structure of the thallus apical cells: the organelles swollen and were destroyed later. The effect of hyposalinity on the algae was more pronounced as compared to hypersalinity. The stress intensity directly increased with the degree of desalination. Further adaptation of the algae to low salinity enhanced DR and, hence, was an energy-dependent process. Despite higher DR rates (during the stress and adaptation) in F. vesiculosus as compared to A. nodosum, the seaweeds had similar pattern of adaptation to the variation of salinity. Different primary response of the seaweeds to 20 salinity was an important exception; apparently, the salinity around 20 is the limit of these species distribution in desalination zones.     

Changes in Parameters of Dark Respiration in Ascophyllum nodosum Induced by Different Salinities

The changes in the rates of O₂ consumption and CO₂ evolution by Ascophyllum nodosum thalli in the dark were studied during a 12 day incubation at 34, 20, and 10 salinities as well as at different pH. Depending on the initial environmental pH, the algae demonstrated antipodal functional responses to the same salinities and, as a consequence, different capacity to overcome hypoosmotic stress. In addition, we observed a more pronounced effect of pH on the rate of O₂ consumption than on the rate of CO₂ evolution. Simultaneous desalination and acidification of the medium (pH 7–8) increased O₂ consumption in the dark, which activated oxidative processes in the cells and increased their energy status. Forced pH stabilization (8.2) of the medium coupled with its desalination inhibited dark respiration of algae, which, in our opinion, decreased their energy status. Specific manifestation of hypoosmotic stress and adaptation in A. nodosum are discussed considering the assumed differences in algal energy status.     

Water Status Changes in Shoots of a Seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum at Subzero Temperatures

The gradient freezing and NMR spectroscopy were used to study the physical state of water in apices of the intertidal seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum at freezing temperatures. In the apices exposed to temperatures below –10°C, two fractions of bound water were revealed. The slow (T₂ 50 ms) fraction of bound water was completely frozen at –25°C, and its freezing rate was temperature-sensitive. This fraction was apparently associated with protoplasmic water and cell-wall polysaccharides. The fast fraction (T₂ < 10 ms) of bound water was presumably due to water-soluble globular proteins. The freezing rate for this fraction depended on neither the temperature nor the amount of water. The presence of unfrozen water in apical cells at –40°C was demonstrated. The role of this water fraction in maintaining the native structure of biomacromolecules and apex survival is discussed.     

Antenna replacement in the evolutionary origin of chloroplasts

The endosymbiotic origin of chloroplasts from unicellular cyanobacteria is presently beyond doubt. Oxygenic photosynthesis is based on coordinated action of the two photosystems (PS), PS I and PS II, cooperating with several variants of the pigment antenna. In cyanobacteria, red algae, and glaucophytes, phycobilisomes (PBS) act as antennae, while in terrestrial plants, as well as in most macro- and microalgae, antennae are formed by chlorophyll a/b- and chlorophyll a/c-containing proteins. Advantages and disadvantages of the PBS antenna compared to other light-harvesting complexes form the basis for adaptive variations of the antenna in the course of development of eukaryotic photosynthesis. During the evolution of the “green” and “chromophyte” lineages of the chloroplasts, PBS, in spite of their optimal features of light absorption, were replaced by chlorophyll a/b- and chlorophyll a/c-containing light-harvesting complexes. Development of the cell wall associated with the limitation of motility and tissue formation in photosynthetic eukaryotes were the factors responsible for the antenna shift. The subsequent redistribution of cell resources in favor of cellulose biosynthesis required for increased CO₂ consumption, higher PS II levels, and greater number and density of the thylakoids in the chloroplasts, was incompatible with the energy-consuming and overly large PBS antenna.     

Assessing the Physiological State of the Fucoids from the Barents Sea Littoral by the End of the Polar Night

Methods of amperometry and potentiometric titration were used to follow dark respiration (DR) and apparent photosynthesis (AP) in the fucoids Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jol, Fucus vesiculosus L., and F. serratus L. from the Barents Sea littoral by the end of the 40-day-long polar night. The macroalgae were shown to manifest species-specific low rates of photosynthesis and respiration. However, in spite of their low photosynthetic status due to the effects of subzero temperature and prolonged low or zero illumination, the macroalgae have been able to restore DR and AP to the initial level already by the day 9; the ability to restore AP depended on the level of illumination. The study of the changes in the carbonate–bicarbonate system in the light and darkness demonstrated that the macroalgae grown in darkness, in contrast to those grown in twilight, could absorb bicarbonate in darkness; however, they lost this capacity after two-day-long illumination at an irradiance of 7 mol/(m² s). Bicarbonate uptake in darkness and the capacity to restore the systems of photosynthesis and respiration in fucoid cells are discussed in the context of algal energy metabolism under the polar night conditions.     

Periodic changes in metal content in Fucus distichus thalli under polar day conditions

Variation of Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu and Zn contents in thalli of Fucus distichus was determined under conditions of polar days. The use of spectrum analysis allowed estimates comparisons of the interrelation of periodic changes in irradiance, temperature and tidal fluctuations and quasiperiodic changes in metal contents. The effect of the diel rhythm of irradiance correlated with the accumulation of all metals except for Zn. At the same time, the changes in Mn, Fe and Cu content were delayed in respect to changes in irradiance level. The phase shift for Fe was 1 h 56 min, for Cu – 3 h 41 min and for Mn – 5 h5 min. The change in Ni content, in contrast, was 11min ahead of the change in irradiance. During the experiment an increase in water temperature up to10 °C resulted in increases in the average Mn, Ni and Cu contents in the thalli and decreases in Fe and Zn concents. The periodicity of metal thallus content did not always correspond to a diurnal rhythm, and couldbe longer (Mn, Ni: 32 h; Fe: 36 h) or shorter (Mn, Ni, Zn: 16 h; Cu: 12 h; Zn: 20, 10 h). The ANOVA of these rhythms allows an estimate of the contribution of rising and falling tidal fluctuations to the changes in Cu, Mn and Ni contents. There was a higher metal content during a falling than a rising tide. Abbreviations SDLT – semidiurnal lunartide, CDLT – closed diurnal lunar tide. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cyanidiales as Polyextreme Eukaryotes

Biochemistry (Moscow) - Cyanidiales were named enigmatic microalgae due to their unique polyextreme properties, considered for a very long time unattainable for eukaryotes. Cyanidiales mainly...     

Phycobiliproteins: Structure,functions and biotechnological applications

The functions of phycobiliproteins and phycobilisomes as photosynthetic antenna pigments in cells of cyanobacteria and a range of algae were considered. Achievements in the area of biological and natural sciences connected with study of phycobiliproteins are described. Sources and different possibilities of the practical application of these pigments in fluorescent spectroscopy, pharmacy, and biotechnology are analyzed.