2种枸杞叶片对混合盐胁迫的生理响应

选取耐盐性不同的‘宁杞5号’和‘黑杞1号’一年实生苗为试验材料,进行渗透势分别为-0.47、-0.82和-1.18MPa的混合盐(NaCl+Na_2SO_4)胁迫处理,分析比较2种枸杞叶片生理指标的响应特征,以揭示2种枸杞适应盐胁迫的生理机制。结果表明:(1)随着渗透势降低,2种枸杞叶片生理指标响应趋势基本一致,叶绿素(Chl)和可溶性蛋白(SP)含量先升后降,相对电导率、丙二醛(MDA)和脯氨酸(Pro)、可溶性糖(SS)含量逐渐增加,但‘宁杞5号’的变化幅度大于‘黑杞1号’。(2)随着渗透势降低,2种枸杞叶片的超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性均增强,但-1.18 MPa混合盐溶液处理则抑制了‘宁杞5号’抗氧化酶活性。(3)随着盐胁迫处理时间的延长,2种枸杞叶片相对电导率、MDA含量、Pro含量、SS含量和CAT活性增加,但‘宁杞5号’的渗透调节物质积累量高于相应‘黑杞1号’;而2种枸杞Chl含量及SOD和POD活性在-1.18 MPa混合盐溶液处理下有所下降。研究表明,2种枸杞均可通过积累渗透调节物质和加强抗氧化酶系统来缓解盐胁迫对自身的伤害,‘宁杞5号’的渗透调节能力较强,而‘黑杞1号’具有更稳定的抗氧化酶系统,从而具有更强耐受盐胁迫的能力。     

棉花幼苗对不同程度低温逆境的生理响应

以‘新陆早33号'(冷敏感)和‘中棉所50号’(高耐寒)棉花品种为材料,采用人工模拟低温方法,研究不同温度和时间处理下棉花幼苗叶片抗氧化酶活性和渗透调节物质含量的响应特征,探讨不同温度胁迫下棉花的抗逆机制.结果显示:(1)随胁迫温度降低、胁迫时间延长,两参试棉花品种幼苗遭受低温伤害的程度逐渐加剧,尤以5℃和0℃处理表现最为明显.(2)经15℃及10℃处理后,植株叶片REC、POD活性、SP和Pro含量总体上随胁迫时间延长而提高,MDA含量、APX活性和SS含量则先升后降,并均于处理24 h时达峰值;而在5℃及0℃处理下,REC和SOD、POD活性以及MDA、SS、SP含量迅速上升,APX活性、Pro含量则呈先升后降的变化趋势.(3)与‘新陆早33号,相比,‘中棉所50号’在各处理水平下均可保持更大的抗氧化酶活性和渗透调节物质含量上升幅度.研究表明,在不同程度低温逆境中,棉花幼苗可通过调节抗氧化酶活性和渗透调节物质含量,启动相应抗逆调节方式来维持代谢平衡,增强抗逆性;高耐寒性品种在低温逆境中具有更灵敏、高效的活性氧清除能力和渗透调节响应机制,从而有效抵御低温逆境伤害.     

黄果龙葵幼苗对镉胁迫的生理生长响应

黄果龙葵（Solanum diphyllum）是茄科的小灌木,已有的研究对黄果龙葵的镉（Cd）响应知之甚少。该研究采用水培控制试验,在160μmol·L^-1 Cd胁迫下,测定了黄果龙葵幼苗在不同胁迫时间点（0、0.5、1、3、7、19 d）的生长、耐性系数（TI）、Cd富集特性、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性、渗透调节物质和光合色素等指标。结果表明：（1）在胁迫0～3 d时Cd对黄果龙葵幼苗的生长无显著影响。胁迫3～19 d时表现为明显抑制,且毒害随胁迫时间延长而加重。与对照组相比,Cd胁迫使黄果龙葵幼苗的生物量降低13.28%～62.40%。（2）黄果龙葵幼苗的最大Cd积累量为60.14μg·plant^-1,其地上部份的Cd积累量占植株的15.46%～35.24%。（3）丙二醛（MDA）含量呈上升趋势,根的MDA含量最大增幅为对照组的5.25倍。SOD活性、游离脯氨酸、可溶性糖、叶绿素a、叶绿素b和类胡萝卜素的含量均呈先升后降的趋势。（4）黄果龙葵幼苗的耐性系数TI随胁迫时间延长而降低,最小值为0.64。综上结果认为,黄果龙葵是一种潜在的Cd...     

蒭雷草对盐胁迫的生理响应

该文选择从西沙东岛采集蒭雷草,通过分株繁殖挑选健壮植株作为材料,模拟热带珊瑚岛生境设置不同浓度NaCl处理,研究不同程度的盐胁迫对其植株叶片丙二醛(MDA)、抗氧化酶以及渗透调节物质的影响.结果表明:(1)短期(28 d)盐胁迫下,NaCl浓度的增加并未加速蒭雷草叶片细胞发生膜脂过氧化作用,MDA含量增加幅度较小;随着...     

五种西北旱区植物对干旱胁迫的生理响应

以黑果枸杞、金露梅、蒙古莸、柠条和花棒5种西北旱区植物为材料,采用盆栽试验研究了干旱胁迫对植物叶片光合、水分和生理生化的影响.结果表明: 随干旱胁迫时间的延长,5种植物叶片的保水力均升高,叶片相对含水量先升后降,叶绿素含量和叶绿素荧光参数均不同程度地降低,花棒和黑果枸杞的光合系统受到的影响最小,金露梅的光合系统受损最严重.干旱胁迫后金露梅叶片的电导率和丙二醛含量先降低后急剧上升,超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化物酶(POD)活性先升高后急剧降低.其余4种植物随土壤含水量的降低电导率先升后降,丙二醛含量先升后降或先降后升,SOD和POD活性总体呈上升趋势,其中蒙古莸SOD活性和花棒POD活性在所有植物中升幅最大,干旱28 d后分别升至为胁迫前的2.1、14.1倍.随胁迫时间的延长,5种植物各有机溶质的积累量存在较大差异,金露梅积累最多的可溶性糖和游离脯氨酸,28 d后分别增至为原来的2.1、23.4倍,花棒积累最多的可溶性蛋白,28 d后增至为原来的2.0倍.隶属函数法表明,植物耐旱能力为花棒>黑果枸杞>柠条>蒙古莸>金露梅.5种旱区植物可通过提高抗氧化酶活性和积累有机溶质对干旱胁迫进行积极的反馈,以减轻细胞受到的伤害.金露梅对水分亏缺的敏感性最高,试验期间其干旱程度已经超出了自身调节能力的阈值.     

四种灌木幼苗对水分胁迫的生理响应

柠条锦鸡儿(Caragana korshinskii)、白皮锦鸡儿(C.leucophloea)、刺叶锦鸡儿(C.acanthophylla)和长枝木蓼(Atraphaxis virgata)是乌鲁木齐周边植被组成中的重要植物种,在植被恢复中具有潜在价值。研究通过人工控制水分比较这4种灌木对干旱胁迫的生理响应,结果表明:叶片的组织含水量和叶绿素含量随着干旱胁迫的加剧而降低;脯氨酸在干旱胁迫下的积累程度较可溶性糖大;除刺叶锦鸡儿外其它植物幼苗的丙二醛在干旱胁迫下均无明显的积累(P>0.05)。4种灌木在干旱胁迫下通过渗透调节、保持膜系统稳定等途径维持正常的生理活动,对干旱具有一定的适应能力。4种灌木抗旱能力的排序为白皮锦鸡儿>柠条锦鸡儿>长枝木蓼>刺叶锦鸡儿。     

莲种胚在温度胁迫下的逆境生理研究

为明确莲种胚对不同温度胁迫的耐受能力,探索莲种胚细胞在逆境胁迫下的生理响应规律,该研究以成熟莲子为材料,从形态学、抗性生理和抗氧化相关基因表达定量3个层面进行了研究。结果表明：(1)莲子对于高温与超低温具有较好的胁迫耐受能力,经70℃高温与-196℃超低温处理后,其发芽率和种芽长相比对照组无显著变化;80℃及以上的高温处理会使莲种胚吸水萌发迟缓,发芽率降低50%及以上,种芽萌发变慢。(2)高温处理后,莲种胚细胞中抗氧化酶活性随吸水萌发过程呈上升趋势,非酶促抗氧化剂含量下降,细胞膜脂过氧化程度逐渐减轻,质膜完整性有所恢复。(3)高温处理下,莲种胚氧化应激相关基因(DHN Rab18、Cu/Zn SOD、Mn SOD、POD41、POD73、CAT1、GR、APX)积极参与胁迫响应,出现不同程度的上调表达,100℃处理组中DHN Rab18、Cu/Zn SOD、POD41、GR与APX上调表达幅度较大。综上结果认为,莲种胚具有良好的高温与低温胁迫耐受性,在不同温度胁迫下抗氧化系统与抗逆保护类蛋白对维持莲种胚的细胞活力可能发挥重要保护作用。     

两种抗生素对龙须菜的光合生理效应

探讨了不同浓度的两种抗生素(氯霉素和青霉素G钠)对龙须菜(Gracilaria lemaneiformis)生长、光合作用、呼吸作用、色素含量以及可溶性蛋白含量等生理特性的影响。结果表明:龙须菜的生长受到两种抗生素的影响,但是氯霉素的影响要比青霉素G钠的影响大的多。在氯霉素处理的过程中,光合作用、有效光化学效率(Yield)、藻红藻蓝蛋白以及可溶性蛋白含量都随着氯霉素浓度的升高而显著下降,但是呼吸作用速率由于氯霉素的处理而升高;此外光合色素含量不受氯霉素的影响。在青霉素G钠的处理中,光合作用、有效光化学效率随着青霉素G钠的升高而下降,龙须菜叶绿素a与类胡萝卜素含量随着青霉素G钠浓度的升高而具有升高的趋势,但藻红蛋白、藻蓝蛋白以及可溶性蛋白在各处理组之间均没有表现出一定趋势。这些结果说明,氯霉素对生长的影响主要是光合作用速率的下降,以及有关蛋白合成下降引起,而青霉素G钠对生长的影响可能原因是呼吸作用速率的增加引起。由于龙须菜对氯霉素的敏感性比对青霉素G钠的敏感性更强,氯霉素在基因工程的育种中可能更适合作为选择压力。     

酸枣叶对土壤水分的生理生化响应

酸枣(Ziziphus jujuba var.spinosa)分布广、适应性强、极耐旱,是研究植物响应干旱气候的优良试验材料。通过覆膜技术控制酸枣根系附近土壤水分含量,研究了不同土壤水分条件对酸枣叶片组织含水量、叶绿素含量、丙二醛、可溶性糖含量等生理生化指标的影响,以期探明酸枣适应干旱的生理机制。结果显示：随着土壤含水量的降低,处理组酸枣叶片的相对含水量与绝对含水量均降低,但都保持在较高水平,与对照相比,差异显著（p<0.05）;自然饱和亏呈下降趋势且维持在较低水平,较对照差异均显著（p<0.05）;随着土壤水分的减少,处理组酸枣叶片较对照组组织水势和渗透势减小（p<0.05）,较对照差异显著（p<0.05）,吸水能力提高;处理组酸枣叶片的叶绿体色素含量随土壤干旱程度的加深,均表现为低于对照且逐渐减少（p<0.05）;随着处理时间的延长,处理组与对照组相比,电导率随之增大,MDA含量也随之升高,质膜受到损伤;处理组酸枣叶片中渗透调节物质可溶性糖含量和游离脯氨酸含量均有不同程度的增加,平均增幅为1.29、1.5倍。结果表明,酸枣叶片在不同的土壤水分条件下,具有积极的生理响应方式,适应性强,具有较强的抗旱耐旱能力。     

龙须菜对重金属铜胁迫的生理响应

研究了大型海藻龙须菜(Gracilaria lemaneiformis)对不同浓度重金属铜(0、25、50、100、250和500 μg·L^-1)胁迫的生理响应.结果表明:当Cu²⁺浓度≥50 μg·L^-1时,龙须菜藻体的相对生长速率显著下降,最大光化学量子产量、最大相对电子传递速率和相对电子传递效率呈相同的变化趋势.随着Cu²⁺浓度的升高,龙须菜藻体最大净光合速率和光饱和点显著降低,而光补偿点显著升高,叶绿素a、类胡萝卜素和藻胆蛋白含量则呈先升高后下降的趋势;当Cu²⁺浓度达到500 μg·L^-1时,叶绿素a、类胡萝卜素和藻胆蛋白含量显著下降.说明龙须菜在低浓度Cu²⁺胁迫下具有一定的抵抗能力,而当Cu²⁺浓度≥50 μg·L^-1时,会对藻体生理活动造成显著的抑制作用.     

龙须菜对海水氮磷富营养化的响应

龙须菜(Gracilaria lemaneiformis)是红藻门江蓠属大型海藻,已从山东青岛引种到广东省南澳岛等地栽培多年。深入了解其光合作用与环境条件的关系,对龙须菜的合理栽培及其在环境生态中的生物学作用和扩大其开发利用价值,具有重要的理论和现实意义。该文利用人为配置的不同程度N、P污染海水处理龙须菜,研究其生理生态特性对海水氮磷富营养化的响应。结果表明: 处理6 d后,龙须菜叶绿素a及3种藻胆蛋白含量和总抗氧化能力在轻度P(P 0.2 mg·L^-1)及重度N、P复合污染(P 10 mg·L^-1,N 55 mg·L^-1)情况下降低。叶绿素荧光参数的变化也表明上述处理对叶绿体PSⅡ造成不利影响,而在轻度N(N 0.9 mg·L^-1)和轻度N、P复合污染(P 0.2 mg·L^-1,N 0.9 mg·L^-1)海水中上述参数则变化不大,表现出龙须菜对轻度N及轻度N、P复合污染的耐受性。该实验条件下,轻度污染处理后,藻体中不因环境N、P浓度升高而富集N、P。表明龙须菜可以作为轻度富营养化海水水体的净化藻类。     

氮磷水平对龙须菜生长和光合特性的影响

研究不同营养盐条件对龙须菜(Gracilaria lemaneiformis)的生理效应, 对深入了解龙须菜与近海环境的相互作用具有重要意义。在低氮低磷(LNLP)、低氮高磷(LNHP)、高氮低磷(HNLP)和高氮高磷(HNHP) 4种营养盐条件下培养龙须菜15 d, 以探讨不同氮、磷水平对龙须菜生长和光合特性的影响。结果表明: 1) LNHP、HNLP和HNHP处理促进了龙须菜的生长, 其中HNHP处理下龙须菜具有最大的相对生长速率和生物量; 2) LNHP、HNLP和HNHP处理提高了龙须菜的光合无机碳利用能力, 其中HNHP处理下龙须菜具有最大的无机碳饱和光合速率和表观半饱和常数, 比LNLP处理分别提高了118%倍和48.71%; 3) LNHP、HNLP和HNHP处理显著影响龙须菜的光化学效率, 与LNLP处理相比, LNHP处理提高了龙须菜的光化学效率, 而HNLP和HNHP处理降低了龙须菜的光化学效率。研究结果表明, HNHP处理条件下, 龙须菜的生长和光合无机碳利用能力最高, 光化学效率最低。     

PHYLOGENY OF GRACILARIA LEMANEIFORMIS (RHODOPHYTA) BASED ON SEQUENCE ANALYSIS OF ITS SMALL SUBUNIT RIBOSOMAL RNA CODING REGION1

The small subunit ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequence of Gracilaria lemaneiformis Bory Weber-van Bosse was inferred from analysis of rRNA coding regions that were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction method. Comparison of the G. lemaneiformis small subunit rRNA to homologous genes of diverse eukaryotes demonstrated that the red algal divergence was nearly simultaneous with the separation of plants, fungi, animals and many other protist lineages. This result conflicts with those of 5S rRNA sequence and plastid based phytogenies which suggest that red algae represent an early divergence in the eukaryotic line of descent. Further, algae appear to be of polyphyletic origin and red algae are unrelated to higher fungi.     

南方4种草本植物对铝胁迫生理响应的研究

 不同的植物对铝胁迫的生理响应不同, 因而对铝毒的耐性也不相同。设置5种铝浓度,进行砂培法处理,研究了4种我国南方红壤广泛分布的草本植物——牵牛(Pharbitis nil)、望江南(Cassia occidentlis)、光头稗(Echinochloa colonum)和合萌(Aeschynomene indica)的种子萌发、光合色素、脯氨酸含量、丙二醛(MDA)含量、可溶性糖(SS)含量、质膜透性(MP)、过氧化氢酶 (CAT) 活性以及过氧化物酶 (POD)活性的变化。结果表明铝对4种植物的生理特性都有明显的影响。4种植物的种子在10 000 mg·L－1 Al3+处理条件下都不能萌发。2 000 mg·L－1 Al3+处理都不利于4种植物的生长,与对照相比,2 000 mg·L－1 Al3+处理时4种草本植物叶绿素和叶绿素总含量显著降低(p<0.05);MDA含量和MP显著增加(p<0.05);脯氨酸含量极显著增加(p<0.01);POD和CAT活性极显著降低(p<0.01)。中低铝(80和400 mg·L－1)处理时,牵牛和合萌与对照相比,MP和MDA含量降低,POD和CAT活性升高;望江南的反应与牵牛和合萌的反应相反;光头稗在80 mg·L－1 Al3+处理时,与牵牛和合萌的变化一致,在400 mg·L－1 Al3+处理时,则相反。植物在中低铝处理条件下,通过维持较高的POD和CAT活性和脯氨酸、叶绿素含量,较低的MP和MDA含量来增加其对铝的耐性。     

RESPONSE TO SALINITY AND HEAT STRESS IN TWO HALOTOLERANT CHLOROPHYTE ALGAE1

Two new isolates of halotolerant chlorophyte algae from the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, USA, tentatively identified as Dunaliella sp. Teodoresco and Nannochloris sp. Naumann, were characterized with respect to interaction between growth salinity and short‐term heat tolerance. Cells were cultured at 23–25° C over a wide range of salinity. In both species, salinity alone had little effect on maximum photochemical yield (measured by pulse modulated fluorescence) and integrity of the light harvesting system (77 K fluorescence emission spectra). In contrast, Nannochloris exhibited decreasing growth rate (μ), light‐saturated photosynthetic capacity (P^cell_max), respiration (R_d), light‐harvesting efficiency (α^cell), and chl content with increasing salinity. Cultures were heated for 2 h near their upper temperature limits (41.5° C for Dunaliella and 45° C for Nannochloris grown at 50 psu). Dunaliella was progressively more heat‐tolerant with increasing salinity. Photochemical yield of cells at 100 and 50 psu was inhibited by about 15% and 40%, respectively, and largely recovered within 30 min after return to 23° C. Thermal inhibition of photochemical yield in Nannochloris was about 45% at both 50 and 100 psu, but recovery was slower at 100 psu. At 20 psu, both species were almost 90% inhibited by high temperature and required more than a day to recover. In both species, 2 h of heating increased the PSI:PSII fluorescence emission ratio (714:690 nm) at all salinities. This ratio largely recovered within 24 h in Dunaliella at 50 and 100 psu and partially recovered in Nannochloris at 100 psu, but cells of both species heated at 20 psu were chlorotic the next day.     

群体和单细胞微囊藻对短期高光胁迫的生理响应

为了探讨不同形态的微囊藻（Microcystis）对光的耐受能力及其应对机制,研究比较了短期高光强条件下群体微囊藻和单细胞微囊藻的生理响应,结果表明,在高光强胁迫下,群体和单细胞微囊藻的叶绿素含量、最大电子传递速率（ETR_max）均降低,但与单细胞微囊藻相比,群体微囊藻的下降幅度较小;在高光强胁迫下,群体微囊藻的过氧化氢酶（CAT）与超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）的活性均显著增加,而单细胞微囊藻只有CAT活性增加;在短期高光胁迫下,群体微囊藻的死亡率没有显著变化。这些结果表明群体微囊藻比单细胞微囊藻能耐受更高的光强,也暗示了群体微囊藻在野外高光强条件下更具竞争优势。     

RESPONSE OF GRACILARIA CONFERTA (RHODOPHYTA) TO OLIGOAGARS RESULTS IN DEFENSE AGAINST AGAR-DEGRADING EPIPHYTES

Elicitation of Gracilaria conferta (Schousboe ex Montagne) J. et G. Feldmann with oligoagars resulted in a defense response that was strong enough to kill epiphytic bacteria associated with the alga. Up to 60% of the resident bacterial flora of healthy plants was eliminated within 60 min after addition of neoagarohexaose to the algal medium. Single isolates of agar-degrading bacteria that had been isolated previously from healthy or decaying algal tissues proved to be more sensitive. Some of them were generally unable to survive on healthy G. conferta. Others survived on unelicited plants. Approximately 90% of these more resistant agar degraders were eliminated within 15 min after elicitation. The bacterial degradation of dead tissue of G. conferta resulted in a release of elicitors. The elicitors accumulated in the medium and reached high enough concentrations within 24 h to induce a hypersensitive response in healthy algae. The eliciting agent could be destroyed with β-agarase and was thus probably oligoagar. Application of antibiotics prevented the accumulation of the elicitor, which indicated that bacteria were responsible for its release from the algal biomass. The hypersensitive response of G. conferta after contact with oligoagars is thus a true defense response, because it enables the plant to protect itself efficiently from enzymatic attacks on its cell wall.     

群体和单细胞微囊藻对短期温度变化的生理响应

为了探索短期温度变化对群体微囊藻和单细胞微囊藻的影响, 在室内受控模拟条件下研究了在10℃、25℃和35℃三个温度梯度下, 群体和单细胞微囊藻对短期温度变化的生理响应。研究表明: 与对照组25℃相比, 在10℃培养下, 微囊藻叶绿素浓度显著降低, SOD活性和死亡率均显著增加。与群体微囊藻相比, 在10℃下单细胞微囊藻叶绿素浓度显著下降, F_v/F_m下降, SOD活性显著增加。在35℃培养下, 单细胞微囊藻叶绿素浓度上升, 死亡率和SOD活性增加, 而群体微囊藻则呈现出叶绿素浓度和死亡率降低, CAT活性增加。结果表明短期的温度变化影响了群体和单细胞微囊藻生理机制, 与单细胞微囊藻相比, 群体更能适应短期的温度胁迫, 导致其更具优势。     

IMPACTS OF SOLAR UV RADIATION ON THE PHOTOSYNTHESIS,GROWTH, AND UV‐ABSORBING COMPOUNDS IN GRACILARIA LEMANEIFORMIS (RHODOPHYTA) GROWN AT DIFFERENT NITRATE CONCENTRATIONS1

Solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280–400 nm) is known to affect macroalgal physiology negatively, while nutrient availability may affect UV‐absorbing compounds (UVACs) and sensitivity to UVR. However, little is known about the interactive effects of UVR and nitrate availability on macroalgal growth and photosynthesis. We investigated the growth and photosynthesis of the red alga Gracilaria lemaneiformis (Bory) Grev. at different levels of nitrate (natural or enriched nitrate levels of 41 or 300 and 600 μM) under different solar radiation treatments with or without UVR. Nitrate‐enrichment enhanced the growth, resulted in higher concentrations of UVACs, and led to negligible photoinhibition of photosynthesis even at noon in the presence of UVR. Net photosynthesis during the noon period was severely inhibited by both ultraviolet‐A radiation (UVA) and ultraviolet‐B radiation (UVB) in the thalli grown in seawater without enriched nitrate. The absorptivity of UVACs changed in response to changes in the PAR dose when the thalli were shifted back and forth from solar radiation to indoor low light, and exposure to UVR significantly induced the synthesis of UVACs. The thalli exposed to PAR alone exhibited higher growth rates than those that received PAR + UVA or PAR + UVA + UVB at the ambient or enriched nitrate concentrations. UVR inhibited growth approximately five times as much as it inhibited photosynthesis within a range of 60–120 μg UVACs · g^?1 (fwt) when the thalli were grown under nitrate‐enriched conditions. Such differential inhibition implies that other metabolic processes are more sensitive to solar UVR than photosynthesis.     

DIURNAL FLUCTUATION OF NITRATE REDUCTASE ACTIVITY IN THE MARINE RED ALGA GRACILARIA TENUISTIPITATA (RHODOPHYTA)1

The biochemical characteristics and diurnal changes in activity of the enzyme nitrate reductase (NR; EC 1.6.6.1) from the marine red alga Gracilaria tenuistipitata var. liui Zhang et Xia are described. Different assay conditions were tested to determine the stability of NR. The crude extract of G. tenuistipitata has a NR specific activity of 10.2 U.mg⁻¹, which is higher than the NR activities found for other algae, plants, and fungi. This NR is highly active at a slightly alkaline pH and is stable over a wide range of temperature, with an optimal activity at 20° C. The apical portions of the thallus contain 64.9 ± 6.6% of the total NR specific activity. The apparent Michaelis-Menten (K_m) constant found for KNO₃ was 197 μM, and it was 95 μM for NADH. The NR from G. tenuistipitata can be included in the NADH-specific group, because no activity was found when NADPH was used as an electron donor. In extracts of algae grown under either continuously dim light or a light-dark cycle, the activity of NR exhibits a daily rhythm, peaking at the middle of the light phase, when activity is 30-fold higher than during the night phase.