Consumption of O2 in the light by Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

A mass spectrometer has been used to measure O₂ production and consumption and net CO₂ exchange near the CO₂ compensation point in Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii grown in air and in 2% (v/v) and 5% (v/v) CO₂ in air. Some experiments were run in presence of -hydroxy-2-pyridinemethanesulfonic acid and, for others, data are presented from parallel assays for enzymic glycolate oxidation. Although the glycolate-oxidising enzyme was present in cells grown with and without CO₂ enrichment, the activities measured were not compatible with direct measurements of O₂ consumption in the light. This and other evidence argues against glycolate being the primary substrate for light-induced O₂ consumption by these organisms.