Induction and characterization of pigmentation mutants in Porphyra yezoensis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta)

Porphyra yezoensis Ueda conchospore germlings (1–4-cell stages) were treated with N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) for inducing mutations. Three kinds of color-mutated gametophytic blades, which were composed of the mutated cells wholly, sectorially or spottedly, were obtained; and most of them were sectorially variegated blades. The highest frequency of these mutated blades was 1.3%. Four different pigmentation mutant strains were obtained by regenerating single cells and protoplasts that were enzymatically isolated from the mutated sectors of the sectorially variegated blades. The mutants were relatively stable in color in both gametophytic blade and conchocelis phases. In the two phases, each mutant strain showed characteristic differences in the in vivo absorption spectra, and had different pigment contents of major photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, phycoerythrin and phycocyanin) as compared with the wild-type and with each other. The gametophytic blades from the four mutant lines showed significant differences in growth and photosynthetic rates, when they were cultured in the same conditions. By crossing the mutant with the wild-type, it was found that the color phenotypes of two mutants reported above, were resulted from two mutations in different genes, respectively. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

PHYCOBILIN CONTENT OF THE CONCHOCELIS PHASE OF ALASKAN PORPHYRA (BANGIALES,RHODOPHYTA) SPECIES: RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES1

Variations of pigment content in the microscopic conchocelis stage of four Alaskan Porphyra species were investigated in response to environmental variables. Conchocelis filaments were cultured under varying conditions of irradiance and nutrient concentrations for up to 60 d at 11°C and 30 psu salinity. Results indicate that conchocelis filaments contain relatively high concentrations of phycobilins under optimal culture conditions. Phycobilin pigment production was significantly affected by irradiance, nutrient concentration, and culture duration. For Porphyra abbottiae V. Krishnam., Porphyra sp., and Porphyra torta V. Krishnam., maximal phycoerythrin (63.2–95.1 mg · g dwt^?1) and phycocyanin (28.8–64.8 mg · g dwt^?1) content generally occurred at 10 μmol photons · m^?2 · s^?1, f/4–f/2 nutrient concentration after 10–20 d of culture. Whereas for Porphyra hiberna S. C. Lindstrom et K. M. Cole, the highest phycoerythrin (73.3 mg · g dwt^?1) and phycocyanin (70.2 mg · g dwt^?1) content occurred at 10 μmol photons · m^?2 · s^?1, f nutrient concentration after 60 d in culture. Under similar conditions, the different species showed significant differences in pigment content. P. abbottiae had higher phycoerythrin content than the other three species, and P. hiberna had the highest phycocyanin content. P. torta had the lowest phycobilin content.     

藻胆素的构象变化及其对光吸收的影响

研究藻胆蛋白中藻胆素构象的变化对藻胆素光谱性质的影响,在光合作用原初过程的研究中有重要意义．由于四吡咯发色团构象的非同源性随机涨落,藻胆素的电子激发态能级呈类Boltzmann分布;藻胆素的电子－振动吸收跃迁谱带线型因子可描述为与构象随机分布因子有关的卷积形式;藻胆素构象的随机分布导致电子－振动吸收跃迁谱带的不对称增宽．     

Variability in spectral absorption within cryptophyte phycobiliprotein types

Cryptophytes are known to vary widely in coloration among species. These differences in color arise primarily from the presence of phycobiliprotein accessory pigments. There are nine defined cryptophyte phycobiliprotein (Cr-PBP) types, named for their wavelength of maximal absorbance. Because Cr-PBP type has traditionally been regarded as a categorical trait, there is a paucity of information about how spectral absorption characteristics of Cr-PBPs vary among species. We investigated variability in primary and secondary peak absorbance wavelengths and full width at half max (FWHM) values of spectra of Cr-PBPs extracted from 75 cryptophyte strains (55 species) grown under full spectrum irradiance. We show that there may be substantial differences in spectral shapes within Cr-PBP types, with Cr-Phycoerythrin (Cr-PE) 545 showing the greatest variability with two, possibly three, subtypes, while Cr-PE 566 spectra were the least variable, with only ±1 nm of variance around the mean absorbance maximum of 565 nm. We provide additional criteria for classification in cases where the wavelength of maximum absorbance alone is not definitive. Variations in spectral characteristics among strains containing the same presumed Cr-PBP type may indicate differing chromophore composition and/or the presence of more than one Cr-PBP in a single cryptophyte species.     

Antioxidant activities of phycocyanobilin prepared from Spirulina platensis

The antioxidative activity of phycocyanobilin fromSpirulina platensis was evaluated againstoxidation of methyl linoleate in a hydrophobic systemor with phosphatidylcholine liposomes. Phycocyanobilin as well as phytochemicals including-tocopherol, caffeic acid and zeaxanthin,effectively inhibited the peroxidation of methyllinoleate and produced a prolonged induction period.Oxidation of phosphatidylcholine liposomes was alsocontrolled markedly by adding phycocyanobilin or-tocopherol. Phycocyanobilin was distributedoutside in the liposomes to scavenge radicals fromAAPH and to prevent initiation of radical chainreactions. When the concentrations of phycocyanin andphycocyanobilin in the reaction mixture were adjustedequally on a phycocyanobilin basis, the activity ofphycocyanobilin was almost the same as that ofphycocyanin in the AAPH-containing reaction mixture.The antioxidizing action of phycocyanin prepared fromspray-dried Spirulina almost agreed with thatfrom fresh Spirulina in the AAPH-containingreaction mixture. These results suggest thatphycocyanobilin is responsible for the majority of theantioxidative activity of phycocyanin and may act asan effective antioxidant in a living human body.     

Phycobilin biosynthetic reactions in extracts of cyanobacteria

Phycobilins are the chromophores of phycobiliproteins, the light-harvesting pigments of cyanobacteria, red algae and cryptophytes. Phycobilins are biosynthesized from heme by the action of heme oxygenase, which converts heme to biliverdin, followed by the action of other enzymes that convert biliverdin to the phycobilins. We previously reported on the enzymes and biosynthetic intermediates of phycobilin formation in extracts of the unicellular red alga Cyanidium caldarium. Heme oxygenase activity has now been obtained from extracts of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6701. The reaction requirements are similar to those for the C. caldarium enzyme: heme substrate, reduced ferredoxin, and a second reductant such as ascorbate or Trolox. The enzymatic nature of the reaction was verified by two criteria in addition to the requirement for cell extract: production of only the IX isomer of the bilin product and inhibition by the substrate analog Sn-protoporphyrin IX. The enzyme was partially purified by high-speed centrifugation, 35–75% differential (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, and DEAE-cellulose anion exchange chromatography. In addition, extract capable of converting biliverdin IX to phycobilins has been obtained from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6701 and another cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Only the (3Z) isomers of the phycobilins accumulated in the incubations containing unfractionated cell extracts, in contrast to incubations with unfractionated C. caldarium extracts which produce both the (3Z) and (3E) isomers. Phycocyanobilin and phycoerythrobilin were produced in comparable amounts by Synechocystis sp. PCC 6701 extracts, but only phycocyanobilin accumulated in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 extracts. This difference in in vitro product accumulation correlates with the phycobilins that are found in vivo in these two cell types.     

THE PHYCOBILIN SIGNATURES OF CHLOROPLASTS FROM THREE DINOFLAGELLATE SPECIES: A MICROANALYTICAL STUDY OF DINOPHYSIS CAUDATA, D. FORTII, AND D. ACUMINATA (DINOPHYSIALES, DINOPHYCEAE)

The absorbance and fluorescence emission spectra for three species of Dinophysis, D. caudata Saville-Kent, D. fortii Pavillard, and D. acuminata Claparède et Lachmann, were obtained through an in vivo microanalytical technique using a new type of transparent filter. The pigment signatures of these Dinophysis species were compared to those of Synechococcus Nägeli, a cryptophyte, and two wild rhodophytes, as well as those of another dinoflagellate, a diatom, and a chlorophyte. Phycobilins are not considered a native protein group for dinoflagellates, yet the absorption and fluorescence properties of the three Dinophysis species were demonstrated to closely resemble phycobilins and chlorophylls of Rhodomonas Karsten (Cryptophyceae). Analyses of Dinophysis species using epifluorescence microscopy found no additional nucleus or nuclear remnant as would be contributed by an endosymbiont.     

List of members August, 1962

We investigated the acclimation of Chondrus crispus to growth at 5°C and 20°C in the laboratory. We were specifically interested in the responses of light-limited photosynthesis to temperature and the effects of short-term thermal changes (of the order of minutes). Thermal acclimation to constant temperatures over 3–4 weeks had significant effects on the light-use characteristics of this species such that in comparison with those grown at 5°C, 20°C-grown plants had higher concentrations of chlorophyll a and total phycobilins, which were associated with larger photosynthetic unit sizes. Plants grown at the higher temperature had greater photosynthetic efficiencies (α) and higher rates of light-limited photosynthesis at a given photon flux density than did plants acclimated to 5°C. Plants acclimated to 20°C were less sensitive to short-term temperature changes than were 5°C-acclimated plants. These results are discussed in terms of (1) the effects of growth temperature on light harvesting and (2) the implications of exposure to constant temperature for short-term thermal responses.     

PHOTOACCLIMATION OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS IRRADIANCE RESPONSE CURVES AND PHOTOSYNTHETIC PIGMENTS IN MICROALGAE AND CYANOBACTERIA1

The photosynthesis‐irradiance response (PE) curve, in which mass‐specific photosynthetic rates are plotted versus irradiance, is commonly used to characterize photoacclimation. The interpretation of PE curves depends critically on the currency in which mass is expressed. Normalizing the light‐limited rate to chl a yields the chl a‐specific initial slope (α^chl). This is proportional to the light absorption coefficient (a^chl), the proportionality factor being the photon efficiency of photosynthesis (φ_m). Thus, α^chl is the product of a^chl and φ_m. In microalgae α^chl typically shows little (<20%) phenotypic variability because declines of φ_m under conditions of high‐light stress are accompanied by increases of a^chl. The variation of α^chl among species is dominated by changes in a^chl due to differences in pigment complement and pigment packaging. In contrast to the microalgae, α^chl declines as irradiance increases in the cyanobacteria where phycobiliproteins dominate light absorption because of plasticity in the phycobiliprotein:chl a ratio. By definition, light‐saturated photosynthesis (P_m) is limited by a factor other than the rate of light absorption. Normalizing P_m to organic carbon concentration to obtain P_m^C allows a direct comparison with growth rates. Within species, P_m^C is independent of growth irradiance. Among species, P_m^C covaries with the resource‐saturated growth rate. The chl a:C ratio is a key physiological variable because the appropriate currencies for normalizing light‐limited and light‐saturated photosynthetic rates are, respectively, chl a and carbon. Typically, chl a:C is reduced to about 40% of its maximum value at an irradiance that supports 50% of the species‐specific maximum growth rate and light‐harvesting accessory pigments show similar or greater declines. In the steady state, this down‐regulation of pigment content prevents microalgae and cyanobacteria from maximizing photosynthetic rates throughout the light‐limited region for growth. The reason for down‐regulation of light harvesting, and therefore loss of potential photosynthetic gain at moderately limiting irradiances, is unknown. However, it is clear that maximizing the rate of photosynthetic carbon assimilation is not the only criterion governing photoacclimation.     

Fluorescence spectroscopy of single photosynthetic light-harvesting supramolecular systems

Recent spectroscopic studies of photosynthetic light-harvesting supramolecular complexes at the single supramolecule level are reviewed. This report describes the “single-molecule” investigation on light-harvesting complex 2 (LH2) of purple photosynthetic bacteria, phycobiliproteins of cyanobacteria and red algae, light-harvesting complex 2 (LHC2) of higher plants, and chlorosomes of green photosynthetic bacteria. Unique behaviors and spectral features of single light-harvesting apparatus have been unraveled that were hidden by the ensemble averaging of many of the complexes. The information obtained with be useful for understanding the electronic structures and energy-transfer mechanism of photosynthetic light-harvesting supramolecular systems.