NaCl-induced phosphorylation of light harvesting chlorophyll a/b proteins in thylakoid membranes from the halotolerant green alga, Dunaliella salina

Light could induce phosphorylation of light harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding proteins (LHCII) in Dunaliella salina and spinach thylakoid membranes. We found that neither phosphorylation was affected by glycerol, whereas treatment with NaCl significantly enhanced light-induced LHCII phosphorylation in D. salina thylakoid membranes and inhibited that in spinach. Furthermore, even in the absence of light, NaCl and several other salts induced LHCII phosphorylation in D. salina thylakoid membranes, but not in spinach thylakoid membranes. In addition, hypertonic shock induced LHCII phosphorylation in intact D. salina under dark conditions and cells adapted to different NaCl concentrations exhibited similar LHCII phosphorylation levels. Taken together, these results show for the first time that while LHCII phosphorylation of D. salina thylakoid membranes resembles that of spinach thylakoid membranes in terms of light-mediated control, the two differ with respect to NaCl sensitivity under light and dark conditions.     

Glycinebetaine stabilizes the association of extrinsic proteins with the photosynthetic oxygen-evolving complex.

The photosynthetic oxygen-evolving activity of the photosystem 2 complex, prepared from spinach, was labile when the complex was exposed to high-salt conditions under which the extrinsic proteins were dissociated from the complex. Glycinebetaine prevented the dissociation of the 18-kDa and the 23-kDa extrinsic proteins from the photosystem 2 complex in the presence of 1 M NaCl. It also prevented the dissociation of the 33-kDa extrinsic protein from the complex in the presence of 1 M MgCl2 or 1 M CaCl2. The oxygen-evolving activity of the photosystem 2 complex was stabilized by glycinebetaine when the complex was subjected to treatment with NaCl and MgCl2.     

Assembly of Newly Imported Oxygen-Evolving Complex Subunits in Isolated Chloroplasts: Sites of Assembly and Mechanism of Binding

We have examined the assembly of the nuclear-encoded subunits of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) after their import into isolated intact chloroplasts. We showed that all three subunits examined (OE33, OE23, and OE17) partition between the thylakoid lumen and a site on the inner surface of the thylakoid membrane after import in a homologous system (e.g., pea or spinach subunits into pea or spinach chloroplasts, respectively). Although some interspecies protein import experiments resulted in OEC subunit binding, maize OE17 did not bind thylakoid membranes in chloroplasts isolated from peas. Newly imported OE33 and OE23 were washed from the membranes at the same concentrations of urea and NaCl as the native, indigenous proteins; this observation suggests that the former subunits are bound productively within the OEC. Inhibition of neither chloroplast protein synthesis nor light- or ATP-dependent energization of the thylakoid membrane significantly affected these assembly reactions, and we present evidence suggesting that incoming subunits actively displace those already bound to the thylakoid membrane. Transport of OE33 took place primarily in the stromal-exposed membranes and proceeded through a protease-sensitive, mature intermediate. Initial binding of OE33 to the thylakoid membrane occurred primarily in the stromal-exposed membranes, from where it migrated with measurable kinetics to the granal region. In contrast, OE23 assembly occurred in the granal membrane regions. This information is incorporated into a model of the stepwise assembly of oxygen-evolving photosystem II.     

Adaptation of the Photosynthetic Apparatus to Irradiance in Dunaliella tertiolecta: A Kinetic Study

The time course of adaptation from a high to a low photon flux density was studied in the marine chlorophyte Dunaliella tertiolecta. A one-step transition from 700 to 70 micromole quanta per square meter per second resulted in a reduction of doubling rate from 1.1 to 0.4 per day within 24 hours, followed by a slower accumulation of photosynthetic pigments, light harvesting antenna complexes, Photosystem II reaction centers and structural lipids that constitute the thylakoid membranes. Photoregulated changes in the biochemical composition of the thylakoid proteins and lipids were functionally accompanied by decreases in the minimal photosynthetic quantum requirement and photosynthetic capacity, and an increase in the minimal turnover time for in vivo electron transport from water to CO₂. Analysis of de novo synthesis of thylakoid membranes and proteins indicates that a high light to low light transition leads to a transient in carbon metabolism away from lipid biosynthesis toward the synthesis of the light harvesting antenna protein complexes, accompanied by a slower restoration rate of reaction centers and thylakoid membranes. This pattern of sequential synthesis of light harvesting complexes followed by reaction centers and membranes, appears to optimize light harvesting capabilities as cells adapt to low photon flux densities.     

Salt-induced redox-independent phosphorylation of light harvesting chlorophyll a/b proteins in Dunaliella salina thylakoid membranes

This study investigated the regulation of the major light harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein (LHCII) phosphorylation in Dunaliella salina thylakoid membranes. We found that both light and NaCl could induce LHCII phosphorylation in D. salina thylakoid membranes. Treatments with oxidants (ferredoxin and NADP) or photosynthetic electron flow inhibitors (DCMU, DBMIB, and stigmatellin) inhibited LHCII phosphorylation induced by light but not that induced by NaCl. Furthermore, neither addition of CuCl(2), an inhibitor of cytochrome b(6)f complex reduction, nor oxidizing treatment with ferricyanide inhibited light- or NaCl-induced LHCII phosphorylation, and both salts even induced LHCII phosphorylation in dark-adapted D. salina thylakoid membranes as other salts did. Together, these results indicate that the redox state of the cytochrome b(6)f complex is likely involved in light- but not salt-induced LHCII phosphorylation in D. salina thylakoid membranes.     

Molecular and Physiological Analysis of a Thylakoid K+ Channel Protein

Transport studies identified a K+ channel protein in preparations of purified spinach (Spinacea oleracea) thylakoid membrane. This protein was solubilized from native membranes and reconstituted into artificial proteoliposomes with maintenance of functional integrity. A 33-kD thylakoid polypeptide was identified as a putative component of this thylakoid protein. This identification was made using an antibody raised against a synthetic peptide representing a highly conserved region of K+ channel proteins. K+ channel activity co-migrated with the immunoreactive 33-kD polypeptide when solubilized thylakoid membrane protein was fractionated on a Suc density gradient. The antibody was used to immunoprecipitate the 33-kD polypeptide. Physiological function of this thylakoid membrane protein was elucidated by measuring photosynthetic electron transport of thylakoid preparations in the presence and absence of a K+ channel blocker. Results indicated that K+ efflux from the thylakoid lumen through this channel protein is required for the optimization of photosynthetic capacity. The effect this protein has on photosynthetic capacity is likely due to the requirement for K+ efflux from the thylakoid lumen to charge-balance light-induced proton pumping across this membrane.     

Isolation and characterization of oxygen-evolving thylakoid membranes and photosystem II particles from a glaucocystophyte, Cyanophora paradoxa

Conditions for preparing oxygen-evolving thylakoid membranes and PSII complexes, and those for observing the PSII activity were investigated in a glaucocystophyte, Cyanophora paradoxa. The active thylakoid membranes were isolated either with a medium containing glycerol or with that containing high concentrations of sucrose, phosphate, and citrate. Active PSII particles were solubilized by octyl-beta-D-glucoside from thylakoid membranes and were separated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The thylakoid membranes and PSII particles showed an oxygen-evolving activity only in high-ionic-strength media. The extrinsic 33 kDa protein (PsbO) and the cytochrome c(550) (PsbV) were found to be present in the PSII particles as in cyanobacteria or red algae, but no 12 kDa protein (PsbU) was detected. The PsbO protein was classified as a land-plant type by its N-terminal amino acid sequence.     

Osmoregulatory isoform of dihydroxyacetone phosphate reductase from Dunaliella tertiolecta: purification and characterization

The osmoregulatory isoform of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) reductase (Osm-DHAPR) is an enzyme unique to Dunaliella, photosynthetic unicellular green algae adapted to extreme environments. This is the first report of purification of an isoform of DHAP reductase from Dunaliella, specifically the osmoregulatory isoform that is involved in the synthesis of free glycerol for osmoregulation in extreme environments, such as high salinity. The Osm-DHAPR is cold labile, inactivated by ammonium sulfate, forms a strong complex with Rubisco, and is unstable in the absence of glycerol. These difficulties have been addressed, and a four-step procedure has been developed to purify the Osm-DHAPR from Dunaliella tertiolecta: precipitation of Rubisco by polyethylene glycol, followed by successive chromatography on DEAE cellulose, Sephacryl S-200, and Red Agarose. Yield of the purified enzyme was 3.6%, with a specific activity of 938 micromol.min-1.mg-1 of protein and a subunit molecular mass of approximately 38 kDa. A maximum specific activity of 2580 micromol.min-1.mg-1 of protein could be achieved by assay with 150 mM NaCl. The Osm-DHAPR had little preference for NADH or NADPH, but it is highly specific for DHAP. Other metabolites of glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and the C3 reductive photosynthetic carbon cycle were not reduced by the enzyme. The purified enzyme was stimulated three-fold by 150 to 250 mM NaCl/KCl and by 25 mM MgCl2. Detergents, lipids, or long-chain acyl CoA derivatives, all of which inhibited the chloroplastic glyceride form of DHAP reductase, did not affect the activity of Osm-DHAPR. The Osm-DHAPR has different properties than the other chloroplastic isoform of DHAP reductase from plants and algae for glycerol phosphate formation and triglyceride synthesis.     

Effect of protein modification by malondialdehyde on the interaction between the oxygen-evolving complex 33 kDa protein and photosystem II core proteins

Previously we observed that the oxygen-evolving complex 33 kDa protein (OEC33) which stabilizes the Mn cluster in photosystem II (PSII), was modified with malondialdehyde (MDA), an end-product of peroxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids, and the modification increased in heat-stressed plants (Yamauchi et al. 2008). In this study, we examined whether the modification of OEC33 with MDA affects its binding to the PSII complex and causes inactivation of the oxygen-evolving complex. Purified OEC33 and PSII membranes that had been removed of extrinsic proteins of the oxygen-evolving complex (PSII∆OEE) of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) were separately treated with MDA. The binding was diminished when both OEC33 and PSII∆OEE were modified, but when only OEC33 or PSII∆OEE was treated, the binding was not impaired. In the experiment using thylakoid membranes, release of OEC33 from PSII and corresponding loss of oxygen-evolving activity were observed when thylakoid membranes were treated with MDA at 40°C but not at 25°C. In spinach leaves treated at 40°C under light, maximal efficiency of PSII photochemistry (F _v/F _m ratio of chlorophyll fluorescence) and oxygen-evolving activity decreased. Simultaneously, MDA contents in heat-stressed leaves increased, and OEC33 and PSII core proteins including 47 and 43 kDa chlorophyll-binding proteins were modified with MDA. In contrast, these changes were to a lesser extent at 40°C in the dark. These results suggest that MDA modification of PSII proteins causes release of OEC33 from PSII and it is promoted in heat and oxidative conditions.     

Osmoregulation in Dunaliella, Part I: Effects of osmotic stress on photosynthesis, dark respiration and glycerol metabolism in Dunaliella tertiolecta and its salt-sensitive mutant (HL 25/8).

The photosynthetic oxygen evolution increased by about 30% over control when Dunaliella tertiolecta and its salt-sensitive mutant (HL 25/8) were stressed by raising NaCl concentration from 0.17 to 0.4M, however, during the dilution stress the photosynthetic oxygen evolution was progressively decreased with increasing dilution (decreasing the salinity). The photosynthetic oxygen evolution is affected by the water potential of the medium rather than by the ionic strength. Mitochondrial dark respiration was unaffected by salt stress, however, it was increased by about 50% (parent strain) and 35% (the mutant) upon dilution as if reduced pyridine nucleotide generated during glycerol dissimilation reaction were continuously oxidized by the mitochondria. The salt stress-induced changes in photosynthetic (14)CO(2) fixation were consistent with the observed rates of photosynthetic oxygen evolution. The mutant strain showed about one-half the capability for photosynthesis, and glycerol synthesis compared to the parent strain. However, the proportion of photosynthetically newly fixed carbon during salt stress in glycerol was similar in both strains. The glycerol dissimilation capabilities of both strains were also similar. It is suggested that the salt sensitivity of the mutant is probably due to its reduced dissolved inorganic carbon transport, photosynthetic and starch metabolism capabilities to provide carbon for glycerol synthesis in the time frame of adaptation process.     

Protein translocation within chloroplast is similar in Euglena and higher plants

It is currently thought that chloroplasts of higher plants were derived from endosymbiont oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria (primary endosymbiosis), while Euglena, a photosynthetic protista, gained chloroplasts by secondary endosymbiosis (i.e., incorporation of a photosynthetic eukaryote into heterotrophic eukaryotic host). To examine if the protein transport inside chloroplasts is similar between these organisms, we carried out heterologous protein import experiments with Euglena precursor proteins and spinach chloroplasts. The precursor of a 30-kDa subunit of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC30) from the thylakoid lumen of Euglena chloroplasts contained the N-terminal signal, stroma targeting, and thylakoid transfer domains. Truncated preOEC30s lacking the N-terminal domain were post-translationally imported into spinach chloroplasts, transported into the thylakoid lumen, and processed to a mature protein. These results showed that protein translocations within chloroplasts in Euglena and higher plants are similar and supported the hypothesis that Euglena chloroplasts are derived from the ancestral Chlorophyta.     

Changes Related to Salt Tolerance in Thylakoid Membranes of Photoautotrophically Cultured Green Tobacco Cells

A line of cultured tobacco cells (Nicotiana tabacum cv. SamsunNN) was established that was able to grow photoautotrophicallyin a medium that contained 0.2 M NaCl or in a medium withoutNaCl. Thylakoid membranes of the NaCl-adapted cells had higheroxygen-evolving activities, on the basis of chlorophyll, thanthose of unadapted cells. Furthermore, the oxygen-evolving activitiesof thylakoid membranes from NaCl-adapted cells were more tolerantto high concentrations of NaCl than those from unadapted cells. Glycinebetaine at 1 M protected the oxygen-evolving activityof thylakoid membranes from unadapted cells but not that fromadapted cells. Examination of the dissociation of 23-kDa and33-kDa polypeptides from the water-splitting complex of photosystemII at high concentrations of NaCl indicated that the affinitywith which the 23-kDa polypeptide was bound to thylakoid membranesof salt-adapted cells had been altered. (Received March 22, 1993; Accepted November 15, 1993)     

The effects of salt stress on photosynthetic electron transport and thylakoid membrane proteins in the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis

The response of Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis to high salt stress was investigated by incubating the cells in light of moderate intensity in the presence of 0.8 M NaCl. NaCl caused a decrease in photosystem II (PSII) mediated oxygen evolution activity and increase in photosystem I (PSI) activity and the amount of P700. Similarly maximal efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and variable fluorescence (Fv/Fo) were also declined in salt-stressed cells. Western blot analysis reveal that the inhibition in PSII activity is due to a 40 % loss of a thylakoid membrane protein, known as D1, which is located in PSII reaction center. NaCl treatment of cells also resulted in the alterations of other thylakoid membrane proteins: most prominently, a dramatic diminishment of the 47-kDa chlorophyll protein (CP) and 94-kDa protein, and accumulation of a 17-kDa protein band were observed in SDS-PAGE. The changes in 47-kDa and 94-kDa proteins lead to the decreased energy transfer from light harvesting antenna to PSII, which was accompanied by alterations in the chlorophyll fluorescence emission spectra of whole cells and isolated thylakoids. Therefore we conclude that salt stress has various effects on photosynthetic electron transport activities due to the marked alterations in the composition of thylakoid membrane proteins.     

Salt-induced redox-independent phosphorylation of light harvesting chlorophyll a/b proteins in Dunaliella salina thylakoid membranes

This study investigated the regulation of the major light harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein (LHCII) phosphorylation in Dunaliella salina thylakoid membranes. We found that both light and NaCl could induce LHCII phosphorylation in D. salina thylakoid membranes. Treatments with oxidants (ferredoxin and NADP) or photosynthetic electron flow inhibitors (DCMU, DBMIB, and stigmatellin) inhibited LHCII phosphorylation induced by light but not that induced by NaCl. Furthermore, neither addition of CuCl₂, an inhibitor of cytochrome b₆f complex reduction, nor oxidizing treatment with ferricyanide inhibited light- or NaCl-induced LHCII phosphorylation, and both salts even induced LHCII phosphorylation in dark-adapted D. salina thylakoid membranes as other salts did. Together, these results indicate that the redox state of the cytochrome b₆f complex is likely involved in light- but not salt-induced LHCII phosphorylation in D. salina thylakoid membranes.     

单半乳糖甘油二脂缺失对烟草光合特性的影响

以单半乳糖甘油二脂(MGDG)相对含量比野生烟草显著降低的突变体(M18)及野生型烟草为材料,通过对转基因烟草叶绿体类囊体膜的低温荧光、放氧活性以及叶片的叶绿素荧光分析,研究MGDG部分缺失对烟草叶片光合特性的影响。结果表明,在低温下(77K)MGDG部分缺失并不影响烟草叶绿素荧光发射峰(F683和F730)的位置,但使光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)及光系统Ⅰ(PSⅠ)的荧光发射峰的强度减弱,F683/F730比值降低,直接影响激发能在PSⅡ和PSⅠ之间的均衡分配,使叶绿素a和叶绿素b之间的能量传递受阻,降低光能转化效率;MGDG部分缺失使PSⅡ放氧活性下降了72.9%;转基因烟草叶绿素荧光参数中最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm)、暗适应最大荧光(Fm)、实际光化学效率(Yield)、光化学猝灭系数(qP)比野生型烟草分别降低了7%、49%、32%和18%,并以Fm降幅最大。研究证明,MGDG在维持植物叶绿体类囊体膜的功能,特别是PSⅡ的功能方面起着重要的作用。     

Intermolecular relations of the photosystem II complex in spinach chloroplasts as detected by immunochemical assay

Polyclonal antibodies were prepared to the subunits of the spinach photosystem II fraction (PS II): p47, p43, p27, p33, p24, and p17. (The protein nomenclature refers to Mr). p47 and p43 are the subunits of reaction center complex, and p27 is light-harvesting chlorophyll protein. p33, p24, and p17 are extractable from PS II with 1 M Tris, and p24 and p17 with 1 M NaCl. With untreated PS II fractions, the antibody to p24 inhibited the photosynthetic oxygen-evolving activity, but not the DCPI-photoreduction activity in the presence of DPC, indicating that p24 played an important role in the former activity. Bindings of the respective antibodies to the PS II treated with sodium dodecyl sulfate were regarded as 100%. To untreated PS II, the bindings were 20-30% for p47, p43, and p27, about 50% for p33, and 70-80% for p24 and p17. To NaCl-washed PS II, the binding to p33 increased by 9%, indicating that p33 was adjacent or bound with p24 or/and p17. To Tris-washed PS II, the binding to p43 increased by 7%, indicating that p43 was adjacent or bound with p33. To PS II treated with 3% of Brij 58, only the binding to p27 increased appreciably. To PS II treated with 1% of octyl glucoside, the binding to p47 was still lower than 50%, whereas those to the other subunits were 74-91%. These values could be a measure of the extents to which the subunits were exposed to the aqueous phase, because of the nature of polyclonal antibodies. These results suggest that in intact PS II, p47, p43, and p27 were in most part buried in the inside, p47 being located at the most central and p27 at the outermost part, whereas p33, p24, and p17 were exposed to the outside by 50-75%.     

Copper effect on the protein composition of photosystem II

We provide data from in vitro experiments on the polypeptide composition, photosynthetic electron transport and oxygen evolution activity of intact photosystem II (PSII) preparations under Cu(II) toxicity conditions. Low Cu(II) concentrations (Cu(II) per PSII reaction centre unit≤230) that caused around 50% inhibition of variable chlorophyll a fluorescence and oxygen evolution activity did not affect the polypeptide composition of PSII. However, the extrinsic proteins of 33, 24 and 17 kDa of the oxygen-evolving complex of PSII were removed when samples were treated with 300 μ M CuCl₂ (Cu(II) per PSII reaction centre unit=1 400). The LHCII antenna complex and D1 protein of the reaction centre of PSII were not affected even at these Cu(II) concentrations. The results indicated that the initial inhibition of the PSII electron transport and oxygen-evolving activity induced by the presence of toxic Cu(II) concentrations occurred before the damage of the oxygen-evolving complex. Indeed, more than 50% inhibition could be achieved in conditions where its protein composition and integrity was apparently preserved.     

Specific release of the extrinsic 18-kDa protein from spinach Photosystem-II particles by the treatment with NaCl and methanol and its application for large-scale purification of the three extrinsic proteins of Photosystem II without chromatography

The extrinsic 18-kDa protein in spinach Photosystem-II particles was specifically released from the membrane by the treatment with 0.5 M NaCl and 20% methanol at pH 6.5. The NaCl-methanol treatment was used in combination with the treatments with 2 M NaCl (pH 6.5) and 0.8 M Tris-HCl (pH 8.4) for developing a new procedure for the purification of the subunit proteins (the extrinsic 33-, 24- and 18-kDa proteins) of the oxygen-evolution enzyme complex from spinach chloroplasts. The three extrinsic proteins were liberated from the membranes almost completely and specifically by the simple washing procedure employed here. As no chromatographic step was required for the purification of the proteins, the time for the purification was considerably shortened and the yields of the proteins, especially of the 24- and 18-kDa proteins, were significantly improved.     

Purification and Characterization of a Glycerol-Resistant CF(0)-CF(1) and CF(1)-ATPase from the Halotolerant Alga Dunaliella bardawil

The isolation of the chloroplast ATP synthase complex (CF₀-CF₁) and of CF₁ from Dunaliella bardawil is described. The subunit structure of the D. bardawil ATPase differs from that of the spinach in that the D. bardawil α subunit migrates ahead of the β subunit and ε-migrates ahead of subunit II of CF₀ when separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The CF₁ isolated from D. bardawil resembles the CF₁ isolated from Chladmydomonas reinhardi in that a reversible, Mg²⁺-dependent ATPase is induced by selected organic solvents. Glycerol stimulates cyclic photophosphorylation catalyzed by D. bardawil thylakoid membranes but inhibits photophosphorylation catalyzed by spinach thylakoid membranes. Glycerol (20%) also stimulates the rate of ATP-P_i exchange catalyzed by D. bardawil CF₀-CF₁ proteoliposomes but inhibits the activity with the spinach enzyme. The ethanol-activated, Mg²⁺-ATPase of the D. bardawil CF₁ is more resistant to glycerol inhibition than the octylglucoside-activated, Mg²⁺-ATPase of spinach CF₁ or the ethanol-activated, Mg²⁺-dependent ATPase of the C. reinhardi CF₁. Both cyclic photophosphorylation and ATP-P_i exchange catalyzed by D. bardawil CF₀-CF₁ are more sensitive to high concentrations of NaCl than is the spinach complex.     

Physiological characterization and stress-induced metabolic responses of Dunaliella salina isolated from salt pan

A Dunaliella strain was isolated from salt crystals obtained from experimental salt farm of the institute (latitude 21.46 N, longitude 72.11 degrees E). The comparative homology study of amplified molecular signature 18S rRNA, proves the isolated strain as D. salina. The growth pattern and metabolic responses such as proline, glycine betaine, glycerol, total protein and total sugar content to different salinity (from 0.5 to 5.5 M NaCl) were studied. The optimum growth was observed at 1.0 M NaCl and thereafter it started to decline. Maximum growth was obtained on 17th day of inoculation in all salt concentrations except 0.5 M NaCl, whereas maximum growth was observed on 13th day. There were no significant differences (P < 0.01) in chlorophyll a/b contents (1.0-1.16 +/- 0.05 mug chl. a and 0.2-0.29 +/- 0.01 mug chl. b per 10(6) cells) up to 2.0 M NaCl, however at 3.0 M NaCl a significant increase (2.5 +/- 0.12 mug chl. a and 0.84 +/- 0.4 mug chl. b per 10(6) cells) was observed which declined again at 5.5 M NaCl concentration (2.0 +/- 0.1 mug chl. a and 0.52 +/- 0.03 mug chl. b per 10(6) cells). Stress metabolites such as proline, glycine betaine, glycerol and total sugar content increased concomitantly with salt concentration. Maximum increase in proline (1.4 +/- 0.07 mug), glycine betaine (5.7 +/- 0.28 mug), glycerol (3.7 +/- 0.18 ml) and total sugar (250 +/- 12.5 mug) per 10(5) cells was observed in 5.5 M NaCl. A decrease in total protein with reference to 0.5 M NaCl was observed up to 3.0 M NaCl, however, a significant increase (P < 0.01) was observed at 5.5 M NaCl (0.19 +/- 0.01 mug per 10(5) cells). Inductive coupled plasma (ICP) analysis shows that intracellular Na(+) remained unchanged up to 2.0 M NaCl concentration and thereafter a significant increase was observed. No relevant increase in the intracellular level of K(+) and Mg(++) was observed with increasing salt concentration. Evaluation of physiological and metabolic attributes of Dunaliella salina can be used to explore its biotechnological and industrial potential.