Endogenous light-on rhythm in respiration of a long-day duckweed, Lemna gibba G3 II. On basic and rhythmic components of the rhythm

Effects of respiratory substrates (glucose, malate, citrateand pyruvate) and inhibitors (fluoride, iodoacetate, azide andDNP) on the O₂-uptake rhythm in a long-day duckweed,Lemna gibbaG3 in continuous light period were examined. Rates of O₂-uptake at the starting point (6 hr after the beginningof a continuous light period) and at the time of the first peakof the rhythm (18 hr after the beginning of a continuous lightperiod) were equally increased by exogenous substrates. Sensitivityof respiration to fluoride or iodoacetate was almost the sameat the 6th and 18th hr. The O₂-uptake (at the 6th, 18th, 30thand 42nd hr) was increased by DNP by the same amount. Azideat lower concentrations than 5X10^–4 M did not affect O₂-uptakeat the 6th hr, but inhibited uptake at the 18th hr. In the presenceof 5 X 10^–4 M of azide the rates of O₂-uptake at the 18th,30th or 42nd hr were down to the rate at the 6th hr, which wasinsensitive to azide. These results suggest that the O₂-uptakerhythm consists of two components, i.e. the basic respirationwhich is promoted by exogenous substrate, sensitive to DNP andinsensitive to azide; and rhythmic respiration, which is sensitiveto azide, but is not influenced by exogenous substrate and DNP. (Received February 19, 1971; )