A Major Role for Transcellular Ca2+ Ion Currents in Cell Elongation in The Unicellular Green Alga Closterium

In semicells of the unicellular green alga Closterium that areundergoing elongation, transcellular ion currents enter theelongating region of the cell and leave via the non-elongatingregion of the cell, as in the case of many other tip-growingorganisms. The density of the inwardly and outwardly directedcurrents was 142.5±63.7 nA cm^–2 (n=42) and 109.3±46.5nA cm^–2 (n=33), respectively, at the respective regionsof the cells. Both currents clearly decreased with decreasesin the external concentration of Ca²⁺ ions, and they were completelyblocked by addition of Ca²⁺-channel blockers, such as 20 µMLaCl₃, to the external medium. Increases in pH up to 10.2 hadno effect on the currents, but a decrease in pH from 7.5 to5.7 or 4.5 resulted in an explosive increase in the currents.Removal of external K⁺ and Cl^– ions induced some increasesin the currents, but removal of external Na⁺ Mg²⁺ plus and ions had little effect on the currents. A major part of thecurrents may be carried by Ca²⁺ ions, while H⁺, K⁺ and Cl^–ions may play a minor role as members of the group of ions thatcarry the currents. Thus, there is a clear relationship betweenCa²⁺ ion currents and elongation in Closterium. (Received April 30, 1992; Accepted July 13, 1992)     

The Cytotoxic Effects of Camptothecin and Mastoparan on the Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

We have recently reported that protease inhibitors affecting the activity of the proteasome cause necrotic cell death in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii instead of inducing apoptosis as shown for some mammalian cell lines. Therefore, we have studied other well‐known inducers of apoptosis in mammalian cells for their effects on C. reinhardtii cells. Mastoparan caused rapid cell death without a prominent lag‐phase under all growth conditions, whereas the cytotoxic effect of the topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin exclusively occurred during the cell‐division phase. Essentially no differences between wall‐deficient and wild‐type cells were observed with respect to dose‐response and time‐course of camptothecin and mastoparan. In cultures of the wall‐deficient strain, cell death was accompanied by swelling and subsequent disruption of the cells, established markers of necrosis. In case of the wild‐type strain, camptothecin and mastoparan caused accumulation of apparently intact, but dead cells instead of cell debris due to the presence of the wall. Both in cultures of the wall‐deficient and the wild‐type strains, cell death was accompanied by an increase of the protein concentration in the culture medium indicating a lytic process like necrosis. Taking together, we have severe doubts on the existence of an apoptotic program in case of C. reinhardtii.     

Different Xanthines Cause Membrane Potential Oscillations in a Unicellular Green Alga Pointing to a Ryanodine/cADPR Receptor Ca2+ Channel

In the unicellular green alga Eremosphaera viridis caffeineinduces oscillations of cytosolic Ca²⁺ which cause membranepotential oscillations. Application of the caffeine analoguesisocaffeine, theophylline, and isotheophylline resulted in membranepotential oscillations with a structure-activity relationshipcomparable to isolated ryanodine/cyclic ADPribose (cADPR) receptorCa²⁺ channels from animal cells. (Received November 24, 1998; Accepted February 1, 1999)     

杜氏盐藻细胞质膜氧化还原系统

杜氏盐藻细胞质膜具有氧化ＮＡＤ（Ｐ）Ｈ、还原Ｆｅ（ＣＮ）和Ｏ２的氧化还原系统。当Ｆｅ（ＣＮ）浓度为０．６ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ时,氧化ＮＡＤＨ的Ｋｍ为９６μｍｏｌ／Ｌ,Ｔｍａｘ为１５９ｎｍｏｌ１０－８ｃｅｌｌｓｍｉｎ－１,最适ｐＨ为８．５。ＴｒｉｔｏｎＸ－１００可促进ＮＡＤＨ和Ｆｅ（ＣＮ）的氧化还原活性。ＮＡＤＨ能促进藻细胞的氧吸收,最适ＰＨ为８．５。在无外源电子供体存在时,细胞质电子供体提供的电子使Ｆｅ（ＣＮ）还原。培养液ＰＨ影响正常呼吸链、交替氧化酶途径和质膜电子传递链的耗氧比例;当有外源ＮＡＤＨ存在时,ＳＨＡＭ明显促进细胞的氧吸收,并且质膜电子传递链的耗氧比例增加。     

Genome-Wide Characterization of Genetic Variation in the Unicellular, Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a model system for studying cilia, photosynthesis, and other core features of eukaryotes, and is also an emerging source of biofuels. Despite its importance to basic and applied biological research, the level and pattern of genetic variation in this haploid green alga has yet to be characterized on a genome-wide scale. To improve understanding of C. reinhardtii's genetic variability, we generated low coverage whole genome resequencing data for nearly all of the available isolates of this species, which were sampled from a number of sites in North America over the past ～70 years. Based on the analysis of more than 62,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms, we identified two groups of isolates that represent geographical subpopulations of the species. We also found that measurements of genetic diversity were highly variable throughout the genome, in part due to technical factors. We studied the level and pattern of linkage disequilibrium (LD), and observed one chromosome that exhibits elevated LD. Furthermore, we detected widespread evidence of recombination across the genome, which implies that outcrossing occurs in natural populations of this species. In summary, our study provides multiple insights into the sequence diversity of C. reinhardtii that will be useful to future studies of natural genetic variation in this organism.     

Selenium Accumulation in Unicellular Green Alga Chlorella vulgaris and Its Effects on Antioxidant Enzymes and Content of Photosynthetic Pigments

The aim of the present study was to investigate selenite effects in the unicellular green algae Chlorella vulgaris as a primary producer and the relationship with intracellular bioaccumulation. The effects of selenite were evaluated by measuring the effect of different selenite concentrations on algal growth during a 144 h exposure period. It was found that lower Se concentrations (≤75 mg L⁻¹) positively promoted C. vulgaris growth and acted as antioxidant by inhibiting lipid peroxidation (LPO) and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). The antioxidative effect was associated with an increase in guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and photosynthetic pigments. Meanwhile, significant increase in the cell growth rate and organic Se content was also detected in the algae. In contrast, these changes were opposite in C. vulgaris exposed to Se higher than 100 mg L⁻¹. The antioxidation and toxicity appeared to be correlated to Se bioaccumulation, which suggests the appropriate concentration of Se in the media accumulation of C. vulgaris should be 75 mg L⁻¹. Taken together, C. vulgaris possesses tolerance to Se, and Se-Chlorella could be developed as antioxidative food for aquaculture and human health.     

Uptake of Inorganic Carbon by Isolated Chloroplasts of the Unicellular Green Alga Chlorella ellipsoidea

Chloroplasts, isolated from protoplasts of the green alga, Chlorella ellipsoidea, were estimated to be 99% intact by the ferricyanide-reduction assay, and gave CO₂ and PGA-dependent rates of O₂ evolution of 64.5 to 150 micromoles per milligram of chlorophyll per hour, that is 30 to 70% of the photosynthetic activity of the parent cells. Intact chloroplasts showed no carbonic anhydrase activity, but it was detected in preparations of ruptured organelles. Rates of photosynthesis, measured in a closed system at pH 7.5, were twice the calculated rate of CO₂ supply from the uncatalyzed dehydration of HCO₃⁻ indicating a direct uptake of bicarbonate by the intact chloroplasts. Mass spectrometric measurements of CO₂ depletion from the medium on the illumination of chloroplasts indicate the lack of an active CO₂ transport across the chloroplast envelope.     

Natural Synchronisation for the Study of Cell Division in the Green Unicellular Alga Ostreococcus tauri

Ostreococcus tauri (Prasinophyceae) is a marine unicellular green alga which diverged early in the green lineage. The interest of O. tauri as a potential model to study plant cell division is based on its key phylogenetic position, its simple binary division, a very simple cellular organisation and now the availability of the full genome sequence. In addition O. tauri has a minimal yet complete set of cell cycle control genes. Here we show that division can be naturally synchronised by light/dark cycles and that organelles divide before the nucleus. This natural synchronisation, although being only partial, enables the study of the expression of CDKs throughout the cell cycle. The expression patterns of OtCDKA and OtCDKB were determined both at the mRNA and protein levels. The single OtCDKA gene is constantly expressed throughout the cell cycle, whereas OtCDKB is highly regulated and expressed only in S/G2/M phases. More surprisingly, OtCDKA is not phosphorylated at the tyrosine residue, in contrast to OtCDKB which is strongly phosphorylated during cell division. OtCDKA kinase activity appears before the S phase, indicating a possible role of this protein in the G1/S transition. OtCDKB kinase activity occurs later than OtCDKA, and its tyrosine phosphorylation is correlated to G2/M, suggesting a possible control of the mitotic activity. To our knowledge this is the first organism in the green lineage which showed CDKB tyrosine phosphorylation during cell cycle progression.     

Blue Light-Induced Lethality of a Cell Wall-Deficient Mutant of the Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

When synchronized cultures of a cell wall-deficient Chlamydomonasreinhardtii mutant strain were grown under heterotrophic conditionsand subsequently transferred to the light, a considerable decreaseof the cell number was observed during transition to the celldivision phase. Lethality of the wall-deficient cells was inducedby blue light, but not by red or far-red light, and could notbe prevented by addition of the photosystem II inhibitor DCMU.The light-induced lethality was found to be restricted to wall-deficientcells which were agitated by bubbling with filtered air or nitrogenor vigorously shaken during the transition to the cell divisionphase. Therefore, a (blue) light-induced sensitivity to anymechanical stress seems to be the cause for cell death. In heterotrophicallygrowing cultures of the Chlamydomonas wild-type, illuminationwith blue or white light did not cause a decrease of the cellnumber but only a delay of cell divisions. The latter effectwas also observed in case of the wall-deficient mutant. Bothblue light effects are observed during the transition to thecell division phase and can be induced during the same periodof the cell cycle. Furthermore, the (blue) light-induced lethalityof wall-deficient cells was found to be prevented when the transitionto the cell division phase was inhibited by addition of antibiotics.Therefore, we assume that there is a connection between theblue light-induced sensitivity to mechanical stress and theblue light-induced delay of cell divisions. (Received September 3, 1993; Accepted November 12, 1993)     

杜氏盐藻渗透调节过程中的甘油代谢途径

杜氏盐藻在适应外界盐浓度变化的过程中,甘油是其主要的渗透调节物质。低渗处理提高藻细胞的呼吸速率６０％以上;高渗处理对呼吸无明显影响,但大大刺激光合放氧速率。呼吸链的细胞色素电子传递链抑制剂ＫＣＮ和交替氧化酶抑制剂ＳＨＡＭ对杜氏藻渗透调节过程中的呼吸．胞内甘油、ＡＴＰ、淀粉会量的变化有不同的抑制效果。低渗情况下,胞内甘油转化为淀粉,所需能量由正常呼吸链和交替氧化酶途径同时提供;高渗情况下．淀粉则降解为甘油,光下甘油合成的能量主要由光合电子链提供,暗中则由正常呼吸链提供。     

UV-A Inhibition of Alternative Respiration in Pea Leaves and a Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Total respiration (v_T) increased after exposure to UV, but a decrease in the capacity of SHAM-sensitive-alternative respiration (V_alt) was accompanied by an increase in residual respiration (v_res). The capacity for CN sensitive-cytochrome c respiration (V_cyt) was not inhibited by UV-A. After 4 h of irradiation of high-CO₂-grown cells of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii with UV-A (2 μW. CM^?2) in the presence of white light (300μE.m^?2.s^?1), the capacity of Vast was reduced from 10 to 4 μmol O₂. mg^?1Chl.h^?1, a 60 % reduction. After a similar exposure to UV-A, the capacity of V_alt in pea leaves was reduced from 13 to 5 μmol O₂.g^?1 fr wt.h^?1. Exposure to UV-C was not inhibitory, but UV-B caused up to 25% inhibition of the V^alt. Twenty to 48 h after exposure to UV-A radiation, the capacity of alternative respiration had recovered. UV-A inhibition of the alternative respiration was consistent with UV-A absorption by quinones, except that UV-A did not inhibit the cyt c pathway of electron transport that also involves the ubiquinones.     

Alteration of the Cell Surface during the Vegetative Cell Cycle of the Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Alterations of the cell surface during the vegetative cell cycleof the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii wereinvestigated using polyclonal antibodies against the purifiedand subsequently deglycosylated insoluble cell wall componentand against a 100 kDa polypeptide of the deglycosylated, chaotrope-solublewall fraction, respectively. Both antibodies recognized epitopeswithin the non-glycosylated domains of a ‘150 kDa’chaotrope-soluble glycoprotein (=GP3B) localized in the outerlayers of the C. reinhardtii cell wall. Immunofluorescence studiesindicated that both antibodies reacted with the surface of ‘late’sporangia (harvested 1 h before liberation of the zoospores),but not with the cell surfaces of released zoospores, growingcells and young sporangia, respectively. After pretreatmentwith aqueous LiCl, however, the cell surfaces of zoospores,growing cells and young sporangia became accessible to theseparticular antibodies. Highly purified preparations of the insolublewall fraction revealed strong immunofluorescence with both antibodiesbut not with the corresponding preimmune sera. Based on thesedata, we concluded that the antigenic sites of the insolubleglycoprotein framework of the C. reinhardtii wall are maskedby LiCl-soluble glycoproteins in single cell stages and youngsporangia, but not or to a lesser extent in the case of themother walls of ‘late’ sporangia. The conclusionwas supported by findings that (I) the multilayered structureof the mother-cell wall was disturbed in ‘late’,but not in young sporangia and that (II) the amounts of chaotropesolublecell wall glycoproteins present in the LiCl-extracts from intactsporangia decreased during ripening of the sporangia. (Received January 10, 1996; Accepted May 27, 1996)     

Rapid Biotransformation of Arsenate into Oxo-Arsenosugars by a Freshwater Unicellular Green Alga,Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

We examined the short-term metabolic processes of arsenate for 24 h in a freshwater unicellular green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii wild-type strain CC-125. The arsenic species in the algal extracts were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after water extraction using a sonicator. Speciation analyses of arsenic showed that the levels of arsenite, arsenate, and methylarsonic acid in the cells rapidly increased for 30 min to 1 h, and those of dimethylarsinic acid and oxo-arsenosugar-glycerol also tended to increase continuously for 24 h, while that of oxo-arsenosugar-phosphate was quite low and fluctuated throughout the experiment. These results indicate that this alga can rapidly biotransform arsenate into oxo-arsenosugar-glycerol for at least 10 min and then oxo-arsenosugar-phosphate through both reduction of incorporated arsenate to arsenite and methylation of arsenite and/or arsenate retained in the cells to dimethylarsinic acid via methylarsonic acid as an possible intermediate.     

雨生红球藻八氢番茄红素合成酶基因的克隆及表征

雨生红球藻是一种单细胞绿藻,在多种逆境胁迫条件下能够大量合成并迅速积累虾青素,其积累量最高可达细胞干重的4%,从而成为目前最理想的天然虾青素合成工具.八氢番茄红素合成酶(PSY)是虾青素合成途径中第一个限速酶.分离了八氢番茄红素合成酶基因(psy)的全长cDNA及基因组DNA.其全长cDNA包括1200个碱基,编码400个氨基酸,基因组DNA包括5个外显子,4个内含子.系统发育分析结果显示,绿藻的八氢番茄红素合成酶基因形成一个进化枝,它们与高等植物的psy亲缘关系比较近.通过GenomeWalking的方法,分离了psy基因约1kb的5′侧翼序列.将含有TATA-box和CAAT-box的297bp的序列与LacZ报告基因构成嵌合的表达载体,用基因枪法转化雨生红球藻.lacZ的瞬间表达检测结果表明,这段上游序列能够驱动lacZ表达,具有启动子活性.     

Influence of Some Ions on the Membrane Potential of Ascaris Muscle

The influence of several ions on the membrane potential of the somatic muscle of Ascaris has been investigated by changing their concentration in the surrounding solution. When [K]_o is increased at the expense of [Na]_o leaving [Cl]_o constant, the membrane potential is first seen to increase. [K]_o higher than 45 mM reduces the membrane potential with a slope of 23 mv for a tenfold change in [K]_o. However, when [K]_o is increased keeping [Na]_o and [Cl]_o low and constant, the line relating the membrane potential with log [K]_o has a slope of almost 50 mv. If [Cl]_o is reduced in the absence of external Na, after the [K]_o is increased to 45 mM, the membrane potential decreases with a slope of 59 mv per tenfold change in [Cl]_o in close agreement with the Nernst equation. If Cl^- is replaced by SO₄ ^2-, a depolarization is produced, while chloride replacement by NO₃ ^-, Br^-, and I^- results in a hyperpolarization of the membrane. Removal of the external Na⁺ ions increases the average membrane potential by 17 mv.     

Sexual Agglutination in the Unicellular Green Alga Chlamydomonas eugametos: Identification and Properties of the Mating Type plus Agglutination Factor

Gametes of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas eugametos agglutinate via their flagella. The mating type plus agglutination factor was solubilized by relatively mild treatments such as a short pH shock or an osmotic shock indicating that it is an extrinsic membrane component. It was also extracted in the nonionic detergent Triton X-100. A simple two-step procedure consisting of gel filtration over Sepharose 4B-cross-linked followed by anion exchange chromatography of the void volume yielded an electrophoretically pure preparation of a single high molecular weight glycoprotein. The agglutination factor sedimented as a 9.3 S particle (assuming a density of 1.50) in sucrose gradients. This low value, compared with the high apparent molecular weight seen during gel filtration and electrophoresis, suggests that the agglutination factor is a rod-like molecule. This was confirmed by viewing rotary-shadowed preparations in the electron microscope. A population of long slender molecules was revealed (328 ± 20 nanometers), many of which had a knob at one end and a flexible region about one fourth of the length from the other end.     

The Transformation of the Unicellular Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by Electroporation

The cell wall–lacking mutant CW-15 of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was transformed by electroporation using plasmid pCTVHyg, which was constructed with the hygromycin phosphotransferase genehpt as the selective marker and the Tn₅ transposon of Escherichia coli under the control of the virus SV40 early gene promoter. Under optimal conditions (10⁶ mid-exponential cells/ml; electric field strength 1 kV/cm; and pulse length 2 ms), the transformation yielded 10³ Hyg^R transformants per 10⁶ recipient cells. The exogenous DNA integrated into the nuclear genome of Ch. reinhardtii was persistently inherited through more than 350 cell generations. The advantages of this system for the transformation ofCh. reinhardtii with heterologous genes are discussed.     

Enhanced Carotenoid Biosynthesis by Oxidative Stress in Acetate-Induced Cyst Cells of a Green Unicellular Alga, Haematococcus pluvialis

In a green alga, Haematococcus pluvialis, a morphological change of vegetative cells into cyst cells was rapidly induced by the addition of acetate or acetate plus Fe²⁺ to the vegetative growth phase. Accompanied by cyst formation, algal astaxanthin formation was more enhanced by the addition of acetate plus Fe²⁺ than by the addition of acetate alone. Encystment and enhanced carotenoid biosynthesis were inhibited by either actinomycin D or cycloheximide. However, after cyst formation was induced by the addition of acetate alone, carotenoid formation could be enhanced with the subsequent addition of Fe²⁺ even in the presence of the inhibitors. The Fe²⁺ -enhanced carotenogenesis was inhibited by potassium iodide, a scavenger for hydroxyl radical, suggesting that hydroxyl radical formed by an iron-catalyzed Fenton reaction may be required for enhanced carotenoid biosynthesis. Moreover, it was demonstrated that four active oxygen species, singlet oxygen, superoxide anion radical, hydrogen peroxide, and peroxy radical, were capable of replacing Fe²⁺ in its role in the enhanced carotenoid formation in the acetate-induced cyst. From these results, it was concluded that oxidative stress is involved in the posttranslational activation of carotenoid biosynthesis in acetate-induced cyst cells.