Biochemical and spectroscopic analysis of UV effects in the marine flagellate Cryptomonas maculata

The effects of solar and artifical ultraviolet radiation on the marine cryptoflagellate, Cryptomonas maculata, were studied. Even after short exposure to UV the accessory photosynthetic pigment phycoerythrin is bleached; likewise the fluorescence undergoes significant changes both in amplitude and in the maximal peak wavelength. In parallel, the photosynthetic oxygen production decreases rapidly during exposure. Gel electrophoresis and FPLC of membrane proteins show a significant decrease in chromoproteins after 2 h UV, which is confirmed by fluorescence excitation and emission spectra of the FPLC fractions.Abbreviations APS ammonium persulfate - DCMU 3-(3,4dichlorophenyl)1,1-dimethylurea; Emulphogen, polyoxyethylene 10 tridecyl ether - FPLC fast protein liquid chromatography - PMSF phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride - SDS sodium dodecylsulfate - SDS PAGE sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - TEMED NN NNtetramethylethylene diamine - UV-A wavelength range between 320 nm and 400 nm - UV-B wavelength range between 280 nm and 320 nm Dedicated to the 60th birthday of Professor Dr. W. Wehrmeyer