EFFECTS OF IRON AND LIGHT STRESS ON THE BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ANTARCTIC PHAEOCYSTIS SP. (PRYMNESIOPHYCEAE). II. PIGMENT COMPOSITION |
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Authors: | Maria A. van Leeuwe Jacqueline Stefels |
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Affiliation: | Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, The Netherlands; University of Groningen, Department of Marine Biology, P.O. Box 14, 9750 AA Haren, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | A strain of Phaeocystis sp., isolated in the Southern Ocean, was cultured under iron- and light-limited conditions. The cellular content of chlorophyll a and accessory light-harvesting (LH) pigments increased under low light intensities. Iron limitation resulted in a decrease of all light-harvesting pigments. However, this decrease was greatly compensated for by a decrease in cell volume. Cellular concentrations of the LH pigments were similar for both iron-replete and iron-deplete cells. Concentrations of chlorophyll a were affected only under low light conditions, wherein concentrations were suppressed by iron limitation. Ratios of the LH pigments to chlorophyll a were highest for iron-deplete cells under both light conditions. The photoprotective cycle of diato/diadinoxanthin was activated under high light conditions, and enhanced by iron stress. The ratio of diatoxanthin to diadinoxanthin was highest under high light, low iron conditions. Iron limitation induced synthesis of 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin and 19'-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin at the cost of fucoxanthin. Fucoxanthin formed the main carotenoid in iron-replete Phaeocystis cells, whereas for iron-deplete cells 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin was found to be the main carotenoid. This shift in carotenoid composition is of importance in view of the marker function of both pigments, especially in areas where Phaeocystis sp. and diatoms occur simultaneously. A hypothesis is presented to explain the transformation of fucoxanthin into 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin and 19'-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin, referring to their roles as a light-harvesting pigment. |
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Keywords: | Antarctic Phaeocystis fucoxanthin iron light 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin pigments |
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