5alpha, 8alpha-Epidioxysterol sulfate from a diatom Odontella aurita

A 5alpha,8alpha-epidioxysterol sulfate was isolated from the cultured diatom Odontella aurita (NIES 589), and its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic methods.     

不同缺氮营养水平对金色奥杜藻生长及光合生理的影响

采用了Φ6 cm柱状光生物反应器,在不同氮素营养条件(17.6 mmol/L N、8.8 mmol/L N、5.87 mmol/L N、0 mmol/L N)下通气培养硅藻金色奥杜藻[Odontella aurita(Bacillariophyceae;Centricae)],分析探讨藻细胞的光合生理及生长状况与氮素营养水平的关系。结果表明,不同氮素实验组藻细胞达到最大生长的时间明显差异,与对照组(17.6 mmol/L)相比,氮限制(5.87mmol/L N、8.8 mmol/L N)在培养的前期对金色奥杜藻的生长具有促进作用,氮饥饿(0 mmol/L)显著抑制藻细胞生长(P<0.05)。氮限制实验组藻细胞总碳水化合物的含量显著增加(P<0.05),而总蛋白含量明显下降(P<0.05)。藻细胞叶绿素a、c及总类胡萝卜素含量与培养液的氮素营养水平呈正相关。藻细胞最大光合放氧速率Pm随氮浓度下降而降低,呼吸速率Rd呈现相反趋势,PSⅡ最大光能转化效率(Fv/Fm)、实际光能转化效率(Yield)、潜在活性(Fv/Fo)以及相对电子传递效率(ETR)均随氮素限制而显著下降(P<0.05),说明藻细胞的表观光合生理状况与氮素营养水平直接相关。     

Sterols and fatty acids of the marine diatom biddulphia sinensis

Nine sterols, most showing Δ⁵- or Δ^5,22-unsaturation, were identified in the marine diatom Biddulphia sinensis. One sterol, cholesta-5,22E-dien-3β-ol, comprised 70–80% of the total sterols which is the first such predominance noted in a diatom. The only Δ⁷-sterol detected was cholest-7-en-3β-ol and this was a very minor component. A sterol showing unusual side-chain alkylation,23,24-dimethylcholesta-5,22E-dien-3β-ol, was identified for the first time in a diatom. Total fatty acids exhibited a predominance of Δ⁹- 16:1, 14:0, 20:5 and 16:0, typical of diatoms, although the proportions of these acids were found to vary with culture maturity. n-Heneicosahexaene was the major hydrocarbon together with a small amount of squalene.     

Chloroplast ATPase genes in the diatom Odontella sinensis reflect cyanobacterial characters in structure and arrangement.

We have cloned and sequenced a 5200 base restriction fragment and an overlapping 3100 base fragment of the large single copy region of the chloroplast genome of the diatom Odontella sinensis, which hybridized to several ATPase gene probes. These fragments contain six closely linked reading frames that were identified as atpI, atpH, atpG, atpF, atpD, and atpA, coding for subunits IV, III, II, I, delta, and alpha, respectively. Remarkably, the genes atpG and atpD, which are nucleus-encoded in chlorophyll a + b plants, are present in the Odontella chloroplast gene cluster. They map at the same positions as in cyanobacteria. The genes atpD and atpF overlap by four base-pairs as in certain photosynthetic and heterotrophic eubacteria. Upstream from the atpA gene cluster an open reading frame coding for 251 amino acid residues was found, which shows sequence similarity to ATP-binding subunits of periplasmic prokaryotic and eukaryotic transport systems. No similar reading frame is present in the land plant chloroplast genomes analysed so far. Sequences and arrangement of the genes are discussed with respect to the peculiar evolution of the chlorophyll a + c-containing chromophytic plastids.     

The metabolism of organic acids by a marine pennate diatom

Cocconeis diminuta, a marine benthic diatom, metabolizes acetate and lactate-¹⁴C. In the light, the major product was lipid, whereas in the dark, CO₂ was the major product. Analysis of proteins synthesized in the presence of acetate or lactate showed that radioactivity was incorporated predominantly into the glutamate family of amino acids and those amino acids related directly to the substrate. Light and dark assimilation of substrate was inhibited slightly by 3-(3′,4′-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea and 2,4-dinitrophenol. 3-(3′,4′-Dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea caused a pattern of metabolism of acetate in the light characteristic of that which occurs in the dark. Monofluoroacetic acid inhibited assimilation considerably in the dark, but less in the light. The level of enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and NADH-oxidase were found to be about the same as those in other autotrophs. The metabolism of acetate and lactate is discussed in relation to the autotrophic mode of nutrition of Cocconeis diminuta.     

Positional distribution of fatty acids in lipids of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

The composition of fatty acids and lipids in the marine diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutum was determined. The Lipids consisted of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol, sulphoquinovosyldiacylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphtidylinositol, triacylglycerol and minor unidentified ones. At the early stationary phase of growth, the total fatty acids were mainly 20:5, 16:1, 16:0 and 16:3. 20:5 was distributed in polar lipids, particularly in monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol. This fatty acid was exclusively located at the sn-1 position of the glycerol moiety in all polar lipids except for phosphatidylcholine. In phosphatidylcholine 20:5 was distributed at both the sn-1 and sn-2 positions. 16:3 was concentrated at the sn2 position of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol and trans-16:1 (n-13) was dominant at the sn-2 position of phosphatidylglycerol. C₁₈ fatty acids, the minor fatty acids in P. tricornutum, were confined to the sn-2 position of phosphatidylcholine.     

硅藻金色奥杜藻色素的HPLC分析与超临界CO2萃取研究

以硅藻金色奥杜藻(Odontella aurita)为实验材料,利用高效液相色谱法分析了其色素组成与含量,采取超临界CO2萃取技术研究了从干藻粉内提取岩藻黄素的条件。结果表明,该藻主要含有岩藻黄素、硅甲藻黄素、β-胡萝卜素、硅藻黄素等类胡萝卜素以及叶绿素a和叶绿素c1,其中岩藻黄素为该藻含量最高的类胡萝卜素。色素的萃取率与压强、温度、夹带剂含量以及萃取时间呈正相关,夹带剂含量对萃取率影响最大,CO2流速的影响最小;与有机溶剂法相比,超临界CO2萃取岩藻黄素效率略低,而更利于岩藻黄素的选择性萃取及分离提纯;岩藻黄素的SFE-CO2适宜条件为压强400 bar、温度50℃、CO2流速0.2 L/min、夹带剂比例10%、萃取时间2～3 h。     

Fatty acids of lipids from cultured soybean and rape cells

Lipids from cultured cells, leaves and seeds of two varieties each of soybean (Glycine max) and oil seed rape (Brassica napus) were separated into neutral lipids, glycolipids and phospholipids and their fatty acids were analysed. Usually, the fatty acid composition differed between corresponding fractions from cultured cells, leaves and seeds. Differences were least marked in (i) the phospholipids from cultured cells and leaves of soybean and (ii) the neutral lipids from cultured cells and seeds of rape. In the cultured cells, the fatty acid composition of the phospholipids differed from that of the glycolipids and neutral lipids, and fatty acids of chain length greater than C₁₈ comprised a large proportion of the fatty acids of the glycolipids.     

Rate of release of extracellular amino acids and carbohydrates from the marine diatom Chaetoceros affinis

Excretion from the marine diatom Chaetoceros affinis was investigatedin batch cultures. The rates of release of carbohydrates andamino acids per cell were higher in rapidly growing cells thanin stationary phase cells. However, because photosynthesis percell decreased significantly during nutrient depletion, excretionconstituted 58% of total photosynthesis in stationary cellscompared to 10% during exponential growth. The most prominentextracellular amino acids in the exponential phase were asparticacid, glutamic acid, serine, glutamine, glycine, alanine, valineand leucine. In the stationary phase arginine, asparagine, tyrosineand isoleucine were also produced. Carbohydrate, of which polysaccharideconstituted >80%, was the most abundant extracellular componentreleased.     

Fatty acids from 11 marine macroalgae of the French Brittany coast

Four species of red marine algae (Rhodophyceae), five species of brown marine algae (Pheophyceae) and two species of green marine algae (Chlorophyceae) were examined for the fatty acid composition of the three lipid groups separated by silica gel column chromatography (neutral lipids, glycolipids, phospholipids). The four red algae had high contents of 16:0 and C20-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), 20:5n-3 ranging from 18 to 49% of the total fatty acid content and 20:4n-6 from 1.4 to 22.5%, these fatty acids were evenly distributed in all lipid groups. The five brown algae had high contents of 18:1n-9, 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 but low content of 20:5n-3. No precise trend was detected for the distribution of these fatty acids in the three lipid groups. The two green algae had high contents of 16:0, 18:1n-7 and 18:3n-3 and a very low content of PUFA. They contained also large amounts of 16:4n-3 together with 16:2n-6 and 16:3n-3. While 16:2n-6 was mainly found in phospholipids, 16:4n-3 was mainly distributed in neutral lipids and glycolipids.Porphyra umbilicalis represents the richest source of 20:5n-3 whileUndaria pinnatifida can be selected when a balanced mixture of (n-6) and (n-3) PUFA is required.Author for correspondence     

Nucleotide sequence of two cDNAs encoding fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c proteins in the diatom Odontella sinensis

Two cDNA clones encoding fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding proteins (FCP) in the diatom Odontella sinensis have been cloned and sequenced. The derived amino acid sequences of both clones are identical, comparison of the corresponding nucleic acids reveals differences only in the third codon position, suggesting a recent gene duplication. The derived proteins are similar to the chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins of higher plants. The presequences for plastid import resemble signal sequences for cotranslational import rather than transit peptides of higher plants. They are very similar to the presequences of FCP proteins in the diatom Phaeodactylum, but different from the presequences of the -subunit of CF₀CF₁ of Odontella and the peridinin chlorophyll a binding proteins (PCP) of the dinoflagellate Symbiodinium.Abbreviations CAB chlorophyll a/b-binding protein - FCP fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding protein - fcp the respective FCP genes - LHC light-harvesting complex - PCP peridinin chlorophyll a-binding protein - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate     

Studies on the production of useful chemicals,especially fatty acids in the marine diatom Nitzschia conspicua Grunow

A local marine diatom, Nitzschia conspicua Grunow, was cultured in enriched synthetic seawater using flasks (agitated by magnetic stirring) and a 1.2 l fermenter. Lipids, fatty acids, proteins, carbohydrates and ash of the flask cultures were determined at various stages of growth (day 3, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15 and 17). The fermenter culture was harvested during the stationary phase for similar chemical analyses. N. conspicua attained a higher biomass concentration during the stationary phase when cultured in the fermenter (188 mg dry weight l^–1) than in flasks (140–151 mg dry weight l^–1). However, both systems showed similar specific growth rates based on chlorophyll-a concentration. Appreciable amounts of the essential fatty acids 20:4 (0.6–4.7% total fatty acids) and 20:5 (1.9–4.7% total fatty acids) are present in this diatom. Maximal amounts of these fatty acids were produced after 7 days' growth (i.e. 2 days after the end of the exponential phase). Lipids, fatty acids, proteins, carbohydrates and ash varied with culture age in N. conspicua.author for correspondence     

Mixotrophic productivity of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum cultured with soluble fractions of rye,wheat and potato

The marine microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum was cultured semi-continuously with the soluble fractions of wheat, rye and boiled potato flours. Fifteen percent of the culture volume was renewed every 3 d. The cell productivities were 0.9×109 cells/l/d, 1.1×109 cells/l/d and 2.6×109 cells/l/d for wheat, rye and potato respectively. The productivity of the autotrophic control was 1.0×109 cell/l/d. When a soluble fraction of raw potato was added, the productivity was enhanced to 4.1×109 cells/l/d, 2.4 times higher than the autotrophic culture. The high productivity of P. tricornutum with the soluble fractions of Solanum tuberosum suggests its usefulness as a source of nutrients for the production of microalgal biomass.     

Copper toxicity and adaptation in the marine diatom Ditylum brightwellii

• 1.1. The planktonic diatom Ditylum brightwellii, grown in light-limited resp. nitrogen-limited continuous culture, has been exposed to Cu levels, comparable with those in the Scheldt estuary.
• 2.2. At increasing levels D. brightwellii initially detoxified Cu, producing metal-binding ligands (amino acids), and increasing its cell volume.
• 3.3. In light-limited D. brightwellii, photosynthesis could be adjusted to increasing Cu stress, division rates remained constant, and cells proved to be adaptable to 200 nM dissolved Cu.
• 4.4. Nitrogen-limited D. brightwellii detoxified Cu inadequately: it stored large amounts of Cu (30–60 μM) that inhibited cell division.

     

Fatty acids profile of Spirulina platensis grown under different temperatures and nitrogen concentrations

The influence of culture temperature and the concentration of sodium nitrate (NaNO3) on the gas-chromatographic profile of the fatty acids of the filamentous cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis was evaluated. We found that temperature was the most important factor and that the greatest amount of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) was obtained at 30 degrees C, the fatty acid profile of the Spirulina cultivated showing that (in order of abundance) palmitic, linolenic and linoleic acids were most prevalent.