Effect of Ca2+ channel block on glycerol metabolism in Dunaliella salina under hypoosmotic and hyperosmotic stresses

The effect of Ca(2+) channel blockers on cytosolic Ca(2+) levels and the role of Ca(2+) in glycerol metabolism of Dunaliella salina under hypoosmotic or hyperosmotic stress were investigated using the confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Results showed that intracellular Ca(2+) concentration increased rapidly when extracellular salinity suddenly decreased or increased, but the increase could be inhibited by pretreatment of Ca(2+) channel blockers LaCl(3), verapamil or ruthenium red. The changes of glycerol content and G3pdh activity in D. salina to respect to hypoosmotic or hyperosmotic stress were also inhibited in different degrees by pretreatment of Ca(2+) channel blockers, indicating that the influx of Ca(2+) via Ca(2+) channels are required for the transduction of osmotic signal to regulate osmotic responses of D. salina to the changes of salinity. Differences of the three blockers in block effect suggested that they may act on different channels or had different action sites, including influx of Ca(2+) from the extracellular space via Ca(2+) channels localized in the plasma membrane or from intracellular calcium store via the mitochondrial. Other Ca(2+)-mediated or non-Ca(2+)-mediated osmotic signal pathway may exist in Dunaliella in response to hypoosmotic and hyperosmotic stresses.     

杜氏盐藻的耐盐机制研究进展和基因工程研究的展望

概述了杜氏盐藻（Dunaliella salina）的耐盐机制和基因工程的研究进展。盐藻的耐盐机制十分复杂,短时间内通过细胞体积的改变来调节渗透压平衡,之后通过甘油的合成与转化恢复细胞正常形态和大小。渗透调节过程中,还涉及到蛋白质的合成。cDNA文库和基因组文库已经建立;几种基因已被克隆,如碳酸酐酶基因和硝酸还原酶基因等;GUS（β_葡糖苷酸酶）基因已成功地转入盐藻细胞内。另外,对盐藻的基因工程作了简单的展望。     

A Salt-Induced 60-Kilodalton Plasma Membrane Protein Plays a Potential Role in the Extreme Halotolerance of the Alga Dunaliella

The halotolerant alga Dunaliella salina grows in saline conditions as varied as 0.5 and 5 M NaCl, maintaining throughout this range a low intracellular ion concentration. To discover factors potentially involved in ionic homeostasis, we grew cells in media with different salinities or osmolarities and compared their protein profiles. The comparisons indicated that the amount of a 60-kD protein, p60, greatly increased with an increase in salinity and was moderately enhanced when NaCl was substituted with iso-osmotic glycerol. Cells transferred from low to high NaCl or from high glycerol to iso-osmotic NaCl media transiently ceased to grow, and resumption of growth coincided approximately with an increase in p60. The protein, extracted from a plasma membrane fraction, was purified to homogeneity. Anti-p60 antibodies cross-reacted with a 60-kD protein in Dunaliella bardawil. Immunoelectron microscopy of D. salina cell sections indicated that p60 was exclusively located in the plasma membrane. Its induction by salt, the correlation between its accumulation and growth resumption in high concentrations of salt, and its plasma membrane localization suggest the possibility that p60 could play a role in ionic homeostasis in conditions of high salinity, although different types of function could also be considered.     

Comparative analysis on the key enzymes of the glycerol cycle metabolic pathway in Dunaliella salina under osmotic stresses

The glycerol metabolic pathway is a special cycle way; glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3pdh), glycerol-3-phosphate phosphatase (G3pp), dihydroxyacetone reductase (Dhar), and dihydroxyacetone kinase (Dhak) are the key enzymes around the pathway. Glycerol is an important osmolyte for Dunaliella salina to resist osmotic stress. In this study, comparative activities of the four enzymes in D. salina and their activity changes under various salt stresses were investigated, from which glycerol metabolic flow direction in the glycerol metabolic pathway was estimated. Results showed that the salinity changes had different effects on the enzymes activities. NaCl could stimulate the activities of all the four enzymes in various degrees when D. salina was grown under continuous salt stress. When treated by hyperosmotic or hypoosmotic shock, only the activity of G3pdh in D. salina was significantly stimulated. It was speculated that, under osmotic stresses, the emergency response of the cycle pathway in D. salina was driven by G3pdh via its response to the osmotic stress. Subsequently, with the changes of salinity, other three enzymes started to respond to osmotic stress. Dhar played a role of balancing the cycle metabolic pathway by its forward and backward reactions. Through synergy, the four enzymes worked together for the effective flow of the cycle metabolic pathways to maintain the glycerol requirements of cells in order to adapt to osmotic stress environments.     

The role of intracellular orthophosphate in triggering osmoregulation in the alga Dunaliella salina

A new hypothesis is presented for the mechanism of metabolic response during osmoregulation in the alga Dunaliella salina. We propose that the osmotic response is initiated by differential volume changes of the cytoplasm and the chloroplast (observed using the electron microscope) which alter the cytoplasmic orthophosphate concentration. This triggers a flow through the Pi/triose-phosphate shuttle, activating chloroplast enzymes in the direction of either starch or glycerol synthesis. The Pi-dependent response was investigated in vivo using NMR. The rates of glycerol synthesis or elimination following osmotic shocks were modulated by the intracellular Pi level as predicted by the hypothesis.     

Nature of sterols affects plasma membrane behavior and yeast survival during dehydration

The plasma membrane (PM) is a main site of injury during osmotic perturbation. Sterols, major lipids of the PM structure in eukaryotes, are thought to play a role in ensuring the stability of the lipid bilayer during physicochemical perturbations. Here, we investigated the relationship between the nature of PM sterols and resistance of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to hyperosmotic treatment. We compared the responses to osmotic dehydration (viability, sterol quantification, ultrastructure, cell volume, and membrane permeability) in the wild-type (WT) strain and the ergosterol mutant erg6Δ strain. Our main results suggest that the nature of membrane sterols governs the mechanical behavior of the PM during hyperosmotic perturbation. The mutant strain, which accumulates ergosterol precursors, was more sensitive to osmotic fluctuations than the WT, which accumulates ergosterol. The hypersensitivity of erg6Δ was linked to modifications of the membrane properties, such as stretching resistance and deformation, which led to PM permeabilization during the volume variation during the dehydration-rehydration cycles. Anaerobic growth of erg6Δ strain with ergosterol supplementation restored resistance to osmotic treatment. These results suggest a relationship between hydric stress resistance and the nature of PM sterols. We discuss this relationship in the context of the evolution of the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway.     

Dunaliella salina: A model System for Studying the Response of Plant Cells to Stress

This review focuses on the biochemical and physiological responseof the halotolerant green alga, Dunaliella salina, to conditionsof stress. It is now well established that in response to stress,cells of Dunaliella salina var. bardawil show increased glycerolproduction, massive ßcarotene accumulation and enhancedabscisic acid metabolism. In this respect, cellular responsesare regulatory and seem to depend on a diversity of mechanismswhich may be linked to a modification of the abscisic acid balance.Dunaliella lacks a rigid cell wall and the cellular contentsare enclosed by an elastic plasma membrane that permits rapidcell volume changes in response to extracellular changes inosmolarity. Based on the ‘stretch activated ion channelsmodel’ reviewed recently by Kirst (1990) we propose thefollowing cascade of responses: volume change/distortion ofplasmalemma     

Concurrent changes in Dunaliella salina ultrastructure and membrane phospholipid metabolism after hyperosmotic shock

Hyperosmotic shock, induced by raising the NaCl concentration of Dunaliella salina medium from 1.71 to 3.42 M, elicited a rapid decrease of nearly one-third in whole cell volume and in the volume of intracellular organelles. The decrease in cell volume was accompanied by plasmalemma infolding without overall loss of surface area. This contrasts with the dramatic increase in plasmalemma surface area after hypoosmotic shock (Maeda, M., and G. A. Thompson. 1986. J. Cell Biol. 102:289-297). Although plasmalemma surface area remained constant after hyperosmotic shock, the nucleus, chloroplast, and mitochondria lost membrane surface area, apparently through membrane fusion with the endoplasmic reticulum. Thus the endoplasmic reticulum serves as a reservoir for excess membrane during hyperosmotic stress, reversing its role as membrane donor to the same organelles during hypoosmotically induced cell expansion. Hyperosmotic shock also induced rapid changes in phospholipid metabolism. The mass of phosphatidic acid dropped to 56% of control and that of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate rose to 130% of control within 4 min. Further analysis demonstrated that within 10 min after hyperosmotic shock, there was 2.5-fold increase in phosphatidylcholine turnover, a twofold increase in lysophosphatidylcholine mass, a four-fold increase in lysophosphatidate mass, and an elevation in free fatty acids to 124% of control, all observations suggesting activation of phospholipase A. The observed biophysical and biochemical phenomena are likely to be causally interrelated in providing mechanisms for successful accommodation to such severe osmotic extremes.     

渗透胁迫对杜氏盐藻胞内甘油含量及相关酶活性影响

杜氏盐藻（Dunaliella salina）是一种抗渗透能力强的单细胞绿藻,甘油在其渗透调节过程中发挥重要作用。本实验对5种不同NaCl浓度条件下,盐藻的生长、细胞内甘油含量及甘油代谢相关酶的活性变化进行了测定。结果表明,NaCl浓度过高或过低均影响盐藻的生长;高渗胁迫条件下甘油含量迅速增加,3-磷酸甘油磷酸酶的活性和二羟丙酮还原酶催化二羟丙酮转化为甘油的活性明显增加;而低渗胁迫条件下的甘油含量会迅速降低,3-磷酸甘油磷酸酶的活性丧失,二羟丙酮还原酶催化甘油转化为二羟丙酮的活性增加。基于此实验结果,我们对盐藻渗透胁迫条件下细胞内的甘油代谢过程与其抗渗透胁迫能力的相关性进行了探讨。     

渗透胁迫对杜氏盐藻胞内甘油含量及相关酶活性影响

杜氏盐藻(Dunaliella salina)是一种抗渗透能力强的单细胞绿藻, 甘油在其渗透调节过程中发挥重要作用。本实验对5种不同NaCl浓度条件下, 盐藻的生长、细胞内甘油含量及甘油代谢相关酶的活性变化进行了测定。结果表明, NaCl浓度过高或过低均影响盐藻的生长; 高渗胁迫条件下甘油含量迅速增加,3-磷酸甘油磷酸酶的活性和二羟丙酮还原酶催化二羟丙酮转化为甘油的活性明显增加; 而低渗胁迫条件下的甘油含量会迅速降低, 3-磷酸甘油磷酸酶的活性丧失, 二羟丙酮还原酶催化甘油转化为二羟丙酮的活性增加。基于此实验结果, 我们对盐藻渗透胁迫条件下细胞内的甘油代谢过程与其抗渗透胁迫能力的相关性进行了探讨。     

Regulation of glycerol synthesis in response to osmotic changes in dunaliella

Changes in phosphometabolites, following osmotic shock, were analyzed by two-dimensional thin layer chromatography, in extracts of the halotolerant alga Dunaliella salina in order to clarify the regulation of glycerol synthesis from starch. The experiments were carried out in wild-type and in osmotically defective mutant cells. It is demonstrated that hyperosmotic shock induces a decrease in fructose 6-phosphate and an increase in fructose-1,6-bisphosphate indicating the activation of phosphofructokinase. Two mutants, which are specifically defective in their response to hyperosmotic shock, accumulate glucose 6-phosphate or phosphogluconate following shock, and have remarkably reduced activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and of phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, respectively. These results indicate that the pentose-phosphate oxidative pathway has a major role in glycerol synthesis. Hyperosmotic shock leads to a transient accumulation of phosphorylcholine and to a decrease of inositolbisphosphate in D. salina extracts. Accumulation of phosphorylcholine is not detected in osmotically defective mutants. Hypoosmotic shock induces an increase in inositolbisphosphate but not in phosphorylcholine. These results are consistent with previous indications for differential activations of phospholipases by hyper or hypoosmotic shock in Dunaliella. Based on these results we suggest that (a) phosphofructokinase is an important checkpoint enzyme in the regulation of glycerol production, and (b) that the pentose-phosphate pathway has a major role in keeping oxidation-reduction balance during glycerol synthesis. The possible role of lipid breakdown products as second messengers in regulating glycerol production in Dunaliella is discussed.     

Isolation and Characterization of a Protein Associated with Carotene Globules in the Alga Dunaliella bardawil

The halotolerant alga Dunaliella bardawil accumulates very large amounts of [beta]-carotene when exposed to high light intensity. The accumulated [beta]-carotene is concentrated in small, oily globules within the chloroplast and has been suggested to protect the alga against photodamage by high irradiation (A. Ben-Amotz, A. Katz, M. Avron [1982] J Phycol 18:529-537;A. Ben-Amotz, M. Avron [1983] Plant Physiol 72: 593-597; A. Ben-Amotz, A. Shaish, M. Avron [1989] Plant Physiol 91: 1040-1043). A 38-kD protein was identified and purified from [beta]-carotene globules and was designated carotene globule protein (Cgp). Induction of Cgp occurs in parallel with [beta]-carotene accumulation in D. bardawil grown under different inductive conditions. Cgp is overproduced in a constitutive mutant strain that overproduces [beta]-carotene and is not detected in Dunaliella salina, a species that does not accumulate [beta]-carotene. Cgp production was not suppressed by norflurazon, an inhibitor of [beta]-carotene synthesis that leads to accumulation of the carotenoid precursor phytoene. Immunogold-labeling analysis by electron microscopy demonstrates that the protein is localized at the periphery of the globules. Proteolytic cleavage by trypsin enhances the coalescence and destruction of the globules, in parallel with Cgp disappearance. It is suggested that the function of Cgp is to stabilize the structure of the globules within the chloroplast.     

Hydrolysis of polyphosphates and permeability changes in response to osmotic shocks in cells of the halotolerant alga dunaliella

The effects of osmotic shocks on polyphosphates and on the vacuolar fluorescent indicator atebrin have been investigated to test whether acidic vacuoles in the halotolerant alga Dunaliella salina have a role in osmoregulation. Upshocks and downshocks induce different patterns of polyphosphate hydrolysis. Upshocks induce rapid formation of new components, tentatively identified as 5 or 6 linear polyphosphates, formed only after upshocks with NaCl and not with glycerol, indicative of compartmentation of Na⁺ into the vacuoles. Conversely, downshocks induce a slower transient accumulation of tripolyphosphates, indicating activation of a different hydrolytic process within the vacuoles. Osmotic shocks do not lead to release of atebrin from acidic vacuoles, indicating that they do not induce a major intravacuolar alkalinization. However, osmotic shocks induce transient permeability changes measured by amine-induced atebrin release from vacuoles. Hypoosmotic shocks transiently increase the permeability (up to 20-fold), whereas hyperosmotic shocks induce a rapid drop in permeability. Electron micrographs of osmotically shocked cells also reveal transient changes in the surface and internal organelles of D. salina cells. It is suggested that hyperosmotic and hypoosmotic shocks induce different changes within acidic vacuoles and in the organization and/or composition of the plasma membrane in Dunaliella.     

Lipid synthesis in inositol-starved Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Lipid synthesis was analyzed in an inositol-requiring mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (MC13). Both rates and cellular amounts of [U-14C]acetate incorporation into phospholipids, triacylglycerols, free sterols and steryl esters were elevated in an inositol-starved culture compared to the supplemented control at a time when the deprived culture was losing viability (inositol-less death). The rates at a later time were greatly reduced. During the period when de novo lipid synthesis was high in the starved culture, phospholipid turnover and presumed conversion to triacylglycerols was also accelerated; no differences were apparent in the turnover of the sterol fractions between the two cultures. No change in the fractional percent of ergosterol or of the sterol precursors could be attributed to inositol starvation. The synthesis and maintenance of membrane lipids (phospholipids and free sterols) and their coupling in cellular metabolism are discussed in light of these results.     

Cloning and characterization of a plastidic glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase cDNA from Dunaliella salina

A cDNA encoding a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) -dependent glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) has been cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends from Dunaliella salina. The cDNA is 3032 base pairs long with an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 701 amino acids. The polypeptide shows high homology with published NAD+ -dependent GPDHs and has at its N-terminal a chloroplast targeting sequence. RNA gel blot analysis was performed to study GPDH gene expression under different conditions, and changes of the glycerol content were monitored. The results indicate that the cDNA may encode an osmoregulated isoform primarily involved in glycerol synthesis. The 701-amino-acid polypeptide is about 300 amino acids longer than previously reported plant NAD+ -dependent GPDHs. This 300-amino-acid fragment has a phosphoserine phosphatase domain. We suggest that the phosphoserine phosphatase domain functions as glycerol 3-phosphatase and that, consequently, NAD+ -dependent GPDH from D. salina can catalyze the step from dihydroxyacetone phosphate to glycerol directly. This is unique and a possible explanation for the fast glycerol synthesis found in D. salina.     

A SALT-INDUCED CHLOROPLAST PROTEIN IN DUNALIELLA SALINA (CHLOROPHYTA)1

The unicellular green alga Dunaliella salina Teod, is halophilic and wall-less. The cell acclimates to osmotic stresses by accumulation or degradation of glycerol. To investigate other mechanisms involved in its physiological recovery following hyperosmotic shocks, protein profiles from cells grown in various salinities were compared. A 13-kDa protein (P13) accumulated when cells were subjected to drastic hyperosmotic shock. Front our results with antibiotic-treated cells and purified chloroplasts, we believe that this component results from de novo translation in chloroplasts. The solubility of P13 was strongly promoted by Triton X-100. Its accumulation was correlated with the recovery of photosynthesis.     

Rearrangement of cortex proteins constitutes an osmoprotective mechanism in Dictyostelium.

Dictyostelium responds to hyperosmotic stress of 400 mOsm by a rapid reduction of its cell volume to 50%. The reduced cell volume is maintained as long as these osmotic conditions prevail. Dictyostelium does not accumulate compatible osmolytes to counteract the osmotic pressure applied. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, we demonstrate that during the osmotic shock the protein pattern remains unaltered in whole-cell extracts. However, when cells were fractionated into membrane and cytoskeletal fractions, alterations of specific proteins could be demonstrated. In the crude membrane fraction, a 3-fold increase in the amount of protein was measured upon hyperosmotic stress. In the cytoskeletal fraction, the proteins DdLIM and the regulatory myosin light chain (RMLC) were shown to be regulated in the osmotic stress response. The elongation factors eEF1alpha (ABP50) and eEF1beta were found to increase in the cytoskeletal fraction, suggesting a translational arrest upon hyperosmotic stress. Furthermore, the two main components of the cytoskeleton, actin and myosin II, are phosphorylated as a consequence of the osmotic shock, with a tyrosine residue as the phosphorylation site on actin and three threonines in the case of the myosin II heavy chain.     

Salinity-dependent regulation of starch and glycerol metabolism in Dunaliella parva

Abstract. The glycerol and starch metabolism of synchronized Dunaliella parva cells as a function of the salinity of the medium has been investigated.
The higher the salinity of the medium the higher is the rate of glycerol synthesis and the endogenous glycerol concentration, whereas starch content and salinity of the medium are inversely related. Upon transfer to a hyperosmotic NaCl-medium cells respond by an immediate increase in glycerol synthesis and an inhibition of starch formation in the light. Under corresponding conditions in darkness, starch degradation is stimulated. In both light and darkness hyperosmotic shocks are followed by a rapid increase in the endogenous pool of inorganic phosphate (P_i). It is suggested that in the light the increase in the endogenous phosphate level inhibits the chloroplast ADPG-pyrophosphorylase (E.G.2.7.7.27), and thereby starch synthesis, and promotes starch phosphorolysis. Photosynthetically produced triosephosphates and triosephosphates derived from starch degradation are converted to glycerol. Also, in the dark the increase in the P_i-level stimulates phosphorolytic starch degradation and thereby synthesis of glycerol. Reasons for the salt stress induced increase in the endogenous P_i-level are discussed.     

Salt induction of fatty acid elongase and membrane lipid modifications in the extreme halotolerant alga Dunaliella salina

In studies of the outstanding salt tolerance of the unicellular green alga Dunaliella salina, we isolated a cDNA for a salt-inducible mRNA encoding a protein homologous to plant beta-ketoacyl-coenzyme A (CoA) synthases (Kcs). These microsomal enzymes catalyze the condensation of malonyl-CoA with acyl-CoA, the first and rate-limiting step in fatty acid elongation. Kcs activity, localized to a D. salina microsomal fraction, increased in cells transferred from 0.5 to 3.5 M NaCl, as did the level of the kcs mRNA. The function of the kcs gene product was directly demonstrated by the condensing activity exhibited by Escherichia coli cells expressing the kcs cDNA. The effect of salinity on kcs expression in D. salina suggested the possibility that salt adaptation entailed modifications in the fatty acid composition of algal membranes. Lipid analyses indicated that microsomes, but not plasma membranes or thylakoids, from cells grown in 3.5 M NaCl contained a considerably higher ratio of C18 (mostly unsaturated) to C16 (mostly saturated) fatty acids compared with cells grown in 0.5 M salt. Thus, the salt-inducible Kcs, jointly with fatty acid desaturases, may play a role in adapting intracellular membrane compartments to function in the high internal glycerol concentrations balancing the external osmotic pressure.