ISSN:
1573-5117
Keywords:
photon flux density
;
intracellular metabolic pools
;
proteins
;
carbohydrates
;
lipids
;
polysaccharides
;
photosynthesis
;
phytoplankton
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract The effect of photon flux density (PFD) on the partitioning of photosynthetically fixed 14CO2-C into major intracellular end products was investigated for three species of freshwater planktonic algae (Nitzschia palea, Monoraphidium minutum and Synechococcus elongatus belonging to three different classes. This study was designed to investigate the phenomenon of polysaccharide synthesis associated with the saturation of protein synthesis and to test if this process is common to all three phytoplankton species. Protein synthesis was saturated at low PFD in all three species of algae studied. However, fixed carbon was differentially stored, namely in lipids in Nitzschia palea (Bacillariophyceae), in polysaccharides in Monoraphidium minutum (Chlorophyceae), and in low molecular weight metabolites (LMW) in Synechococcus elongatus (Cyanophyceae). The results of this transient state study indicate that the metabolic pathways of algae can easily be controlled by different irradiance. Furthermore, it appears that the difference in the patterns of synthesis is taxonomy dependent.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00037787
