UPTAKE OF GUANINE BY THE DIATOM,PHAEODACTYLUM TRICORNUTUM1 |
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Authors: | N. Shah P. J. Syrett |
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Abstract: | Nitrate-cultured cells of Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin lack the ability to take up guanine but can do so after a period of nitrogen deprivation, i.e. photosynthesis in nitrogen-free medium. Maximum rate of uptake occurred after 24 h of nitrogen deprivation. The development of ability to take up guanine required CO2 fixation and was prevented by cycloheximide, ammonium or nitrate. The guanine taken up accummulated in the cells almost entirely as a compound which is probably methylated hypoxanthine. Guanine uptake was dependent upon metabolism and exhibited Michaelis-Menten like kinetics with a half-saturation value of 0.48 ± 0.05 μM guanine and a maximum uptake rate for guanine of ca. 200 nmol · 10?8 cells · h?1. Rate of uptake increased hyperbolically with Na+ concentration, with 8.25 mM Na+ supporting half-maximal rate, and it was inhibited by K+ ions. |
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Keywords: | Phaeodactylum guanine methyl-hypoxanthine nitrogen-deprivation purines uptake |
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