Effects of UV-B on motility and photobehavior in the green flagellate,Euglena gracilis

UV-B inhibits the motility of the green flagellate, Euglena gracilis, at fluences rates higher than those expected to occur in the natural sunlight even when the stratospheric ozone layer is partially reduced by manmade pollutants. The phototactic orientation of the cells, however, is drastically impaired by only slightly enhanced levels of UV-B irradiation. Since only negative phototaxis (movement away from a strong light source) is impaired while positive phototaxis (movement toward a weak light source) is not, the delicate balance by which the organisms adjust their position in their habitat is disturbed. Under these conditions the cells are unable to retreat from hazardous levels of radiation and are eventually killed not by the UV-B irradiation but by photobleaching of their photosynthetic pigments in the strong daylight at the surface.     

The time course of dark adaptation in the bee: a phototactic and electrophysiological investigation

ABSTRACT. The time course of dark adaptation in Apis melifera L. was investigated by analyses of phototactic behaviour and electroretinogram (ERG). The behavioural results give a function for dark adaptation showing that in the dark after strong light adaptation the sensitivity increases exponentially with a time constant of 3 min. The sensitivity changes c. 2.4 log units during the time span of 5–720 s. The electrophysiological results indicate a smaller change in sensitivity at the level of the photoreceptors. Within a time span between 20 and 720 s the sensitivity increases during dark adaptation by a factor of 4.3 on a linear scale.     

Effects of inhibitors on photomovement in desmids

The effects of the inhibitors of the photosynthetic electron transport chain, 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl) 1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) and 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone (DBMIB), on the three phtoomovement responses known in the desmid Cosmarium cucumis have been studied. Both inhibitors block photokinesis very effectively in their respective specific concentration range. Most of the impairment of phototaxis and the photophobic response observed in population techniques seems to be due to a reduced motility of the cells, since microvideographic analysis of the cell movement indicated that the inhibitors do not affect the phobic response at all and that there is only partial inhibition of phototaxis. Both the fraction of motile cells and the duration of motility periods are affected by the inhibitors. The results demonstrate that, though all three photoresponses are mediated by chlorophyll acting as photoreceptor, at least the phobic response is independent of the photosynthetic electron transport chain.Abbreviations DCMU 3-(3,4 dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea - DBMIB 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone     

Photoresponses of late instar <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chaoborus punctipennis</Emphasis> larvae to UVR

With a few clear exceptions (e.g., Daphnia) it is uncertain if most aquatic invertebrates can detect and respond to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). It is known that many aquatic invertebrates are vulnerable to UVR and that anthropogenically-induced increases in surface UVR have occurred in recent decades. We examined the photoresponses of late larval instars of Chaoborus punctipennis to different combinations of UVA (320–400 nm), UVB (300–320 nm) and visible light (400–700 nm) to determine whether the larvae can detect and/or avoid UVR. To accomplish this, we exposed late instar C. punctipennis larvae to a directional light source of UVR only (peak wavelength at 360 nm), visible light only or visible plus various wavebands of UVR. We examined negative phototaxis for 10 min at a quantum flux of 2.62 x 10¹³ quanta s^–1 cm^–2 (S.D. = 3.63 x 10¹² quanta s^–1 cm^–2). In the dark, larvae stayed close to the surface of the experimental vessels. Under all treatments containing visible light the larvae exhibited negative phototaxis and occupied the bottom of the vessels. Under UVR only, the larvae occupied the middle of the water column. Our results suggest that late instar C. punctipennis larvae are unable to detect and avoid UVB and short UVA wavelengths but they can detect long UVA wavelengths.     

Photomovement in Dunaliella salina: Fluence rate-response curves and action spectra

We determined the action spectra of the photophobic responses as well as the phototactic response in Dunaliella salina (Volvocales) using both single cells and populations. The action spectra of the photophobic responses have maxima at 510 nm, the spectrum for phototaxis has a maximum at 450–460 nm. These action spectra are not compatible with the hypothesis that flavoproteins are the photoreceptor pigments, and we suggest that carotenoproteins or rhodopsins act as the photoreceptor pigments. We also conclude that the phototactic response in Dunaliella is an elementary response, quite independent of the step-up and step-down photophobic responses. We also determined the action spectra of the photoaccumulation response in populations of cells adapted to two different salt conditions. Both action spectra have a peak a 490 nm. The photoaccumulation response may be a complex response composed of the phototactic and photophobic responses. Blue or blue-green light does not elicit a photokinetic response in Dunaliella.Diagrams of the optical set-ups used for measuring the responses at the single-cell level and of the plans for building the phototaxometer described in this paper are available to the interested readerWe thank Mr. M. Kubota for a tremendous amount of technical assistance and Mr. R. Nagy for building the phototaxometer. We thank T. Kondo, Professor H. Imaseki and the members of the Laboratory of Biological Regulation, NIBB, for their help and support in various aspects of this research. This research was supported, in part, from grants from the Okazaki Large Spectrograph (Project Nos. 86-535, 87-518, 88-523), the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University to R. W.     

Photomovement in Cyanophora paradoxa

Photomovement has been studied in the symbiontic association of the colorless flagellate, Cyanophora paradoxa Korschikoff with the cyanelles, Cyanocyta korschikoffiana. There is no phototactic orientation in this organism, but a photokinetic effect. In addition, the cells show a pronounced step-up photophobic response (however no or only a weak step-down response). The phobic response is mediated by a subset of the photosynthetic pigments located in the symbiontic cyanelles. It is linked to the noncyclic photosynthetic electron transport chain but it is independent of the photosynthetic generation of a proton gradient and the ATP synthesis linked to it.Abbreviations CCCP carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone - DBMIB 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropylbenzo quinone - DCMU 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea     

Carotenoids in the eyespot apparatus of the flagellate green alga Spermatozopsis similis: Adaptation to the retinal-based photoreceptor

Isolated intact eyespot apparatuses, the photoreceptive organelles involved in blue-light-mediated photoresponses of flagellate green algae, were analyzed regarding their carotenoid composition. Carotenoids from the eyespot apparatuses of Spermatozopsis similis were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography, visible-light absorption spectra, mass spectroscopy and by ¹H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (carotenes), and compared with those of whole-cell extracts. Both extracts contained ,-carotene, ,-carotene (formerly -carotene), lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin and all-E-and 9-Z-neoxanthin. The relative carotenoid compositions, however, differed significantly. A twofold relative increase in the total carotene level was evident in the fraction enriched in eyespot apparatuses. This was mainly due to an increase in the monocyclic ,-carotene and the aliphatic lycopene, whereas the relative content of ,-carotene remained unchanged. On the other hand a relative decrease in the total xanthophyll content, especially of lutein and the epoxidic carotenoid neoxanthin, was observed in the eyespot apparatuses compared with the whole-cell extracts. The decrease of the latter resulted almost solely from a reduction of the 9-Z-rather than the all-E-isomer. The bulk of the carotenes is thought to be localized in the highly organized eyespot lipid globules, which act as a combined quarter-wave interference reflector and absorption screen for the photoreceptor in green algae. The enrichment of ,-carotene and lycopene in the eyespot apparatuses, extending the range of visible light absorption to longer wavelengths, represents an adaptation of the screen to the retinal-based photoreceptor of flagellate green algae and is one of the prerequisites for maximal directional sensitivity of the eyespot apparatus.Abbreviations ¹H-NMR nuclear magnetic resonance - IUPAC International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry - VIS visible absorption spectra This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (G.K. and M.M.). M.G. was supported by a fellowship from the Norwegian Research Council of Science and Humanities.     

光谱和光强度对西花蓟马雌虫趋光行为的影响

利用行为学方法研究了光谱、光强对西花蓟马Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande)雌成虫的趋、避光行为的影响。结果显示：（1）在340~605nm波谱内14个波长其光谱趋光行为反应为多峰型,峰间主次较明显。趋光行为反应中,蓝绿区498~524nm有一较宽峰,趋光率20.31%;其它各峰依大小次序分别位于紫光380nm、蓝光440nm;（２）避光行为反应中,蓝光440nm处略高,避光率17.19%;紫外340nm处亦有一峰,避光率15.63%;（３）随光强增强其趋光反应率增大,白光、380nm和524nm刺激时其光强趋光行为反应呈一倒“L”型式样,498nm为峰型,440nm时为一较缓的平直线型;光强最弱时仍均有一定趋光率 ,最强时均未出现高端平台;（４）随光强增强其避光反应率增大,440nm为较平缓直线;340nm刺激时为较缓波动线。结果表明：光谱对其趋光行为有很大影响,光强度的影响较大且影响大小与波长因素有关。     

Role of three basic light reactions in photomovement of desmids

Photoaccumulations in light trap experiments have been studied in the desmids, Cosmarium, Micrasterias and Euastrum. Dependence of accumulation density on exposure time follows saturation curves, while dose response curves show optima. Time-lapse microcinematography and population methods have revealed that all three basic light-induced motor responses known in microorganisms participate in producing photoaccumulations in desmids. During the initial phase the cells are phototactically attracted towards the trap by scattered light. In low light intensity traps photokinetic reactions may play only a minor role, since photokinesis could be evoked only by light intensities100 lx in Cosmarium cucumis. True photophobic reactions have been demonstrated for the first time in desmids. There are two types of phobic responses in desmids: either the cell reverses its movement or it swings sidewise into the new direction. Behaviour of partially shadowed cells suggests that perception of light direction is brough about by simultaneous intensity measurement at two or more sites within the cell.