chlorophyll-a and porphyra-334

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are UV-absorbing pigments, and structurally unique glycosylated MAAs are found in the terrestrial cyanobacterium Nostoc commune. In this study, we examined two genotypes of N.commune colonies with different water extract UV-absorption spectra. We found structurally distinct MAAs in each genotype. The water extract from genotype A showed a UV-absorbing spectrum with an absorption maximum at 335nm. The extract contained the following compounds: 7-O-(β-arabinopyranosyl)-porphyra-334 (478Da), pentose-bound shinorine (464Da), hexose-bound porphyra-334 (508Da) and porphyra-334 (346Da). The water extract from genotype B showed a characteristic UV-absorbing spectrum with double absorption maxima at 312 and 340nm. The extract contained hybrid MAAs (1050Da and 880Da) with two distinct chromophores of 3-aminocyclohexen-1-one and 1,3-diaminocyclohexen linked to 2-O-(β-xylopyranosyl)-β-galactopyranoside. A novel 273-Da MAA with an absorption maximum at 310nm was also identified in genotype B. The MAA consisted of a 3-aminocyclohexen-1-one linked to a γ-aminobutyric acid chain. These MAAs had potent radical scavenging activities in vitro and the results confirmed that the MAAs have multiple roles as a UV protectant and an antioxidant relevant to anhydrobiosis in N. commune. The two genotypes of N. commune exclusively produced their own characteristic glycosylated MAAs, which supports that MAA composition could be a chemotaxonomic marker for the classification of N. commune.

Topics: Antioxidants; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cyclohexanols; Cyclohexanones; Electrophoresis, Capillary; Genotype; Glycine; Glycosylation; Molecular Weight; Nostoc commune; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet

The effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on the synthesis of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) in sea-ice communities and on the other UV-absorption properties of sea ice were studied in a three-week long in situ experiment in the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea in March 2011. The untreated snow-covered ice and two snow-free ice treatments, one exposed to wavelengths > 400 nm (PAR) and the other to full solar spectrum (PAR + UVR), were analysed for MAAs and absorption coefficients of dissolved (aCDOM) and particulate (ap) fractions, the latter being further divided into non-algal (anap) and algal (aph) components. Our results showed that the diatom and dinoflagellate dominated sea-ice algal community responded to UVR down to 25-30 cm depth by increasing their MAA : chlorophyll-a ratio and by extending the composition of MAA pool from shinorine and palythine to porphyra-334 and an unknown compound with absorption peaks at ca. 335 and 360 nm. MAAs were the dominant absorbing components in algae in the top 10 cm of ice, and their contribution to total absorption became even more pronounced under UVR exposure. In addition to MAAs, the high absorption by chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and by deposited atmospheric particles provided UV-protection for sea-ice organisms in the exposed ice. Efficient UV-protection will especially be of importance under the predicted future climate conditions with more frequent snow-free conditions.

Topics: Amino Acids; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cyclohexanols; Cyclohexanones; Cyclohexylamines; Diatoms; Dinoflagellida; Finland; Glycine; Ice; Oceans and Seas; Photochemical Processes; Snow; Spectrum Analysis; Temperature; Ultraviolet Rays

The effect of irradiance (40 and 840 micromol photons m(-2) s(-1)) of short-term (48 h) irradiation on photosynthetic activity (estimated as oxygen evolution and as chlorophyll fluorescence), specific absorption and fluorescence excitation spectra, photosynthetic pigment accumulation (chlorophyll a and biliproteins) and UV-absorbing compounds (mycosporine-like amino acids, MAAs) was investigated in sun and shade species of the red algal genus Porphyra collected in Trondheimsfjord (Norway). In the sun type, high irradiance exposure (840 micromol photons m(-2) s(-1)) did not alter the Chl a concentration, however, exposure to a lower irradiance (40 micromol photons m(-2) s(-1)) for 48 h significantly increased the chlorophyll concentration. The content of MAAs was significantly higher in the suntype than in the shade type algae. Porphyra-334 is the main MAA in this species followed by shinorine. The total content of MAAs significantly (P<0.05) increased in the sun type after 48 h exposure to both high and low irradiances. However, in the shade type, porphyra-334 significantly decreased (P<0.05) after both high and low irradiance exposure. Photosynthetic activity (as oxygen evolution) and the optimal quantum yield (F(v)/F(m)), as an indicator of photoinhibition, decreased under low and high irradiance in the shade type algae and no full recovery was observed when the algae were transferred to very low irradiation. The sun type algae presented a higher capacity of acclimation to increased irradiance than the shade type algae. This high acclimation of sun type algae to short term high irradiance exposure (48 h) is explained by the higher thermal dissipation. This was estimated as the ratio of nonphotochemical quenching related to the light dose (q(N):dose) and by the accumulation of MAAs.

Topics: Amino Acids; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Cyclohexanols; Cyclohexanones; Glycine; Photobiology; Photosynthesis; Phycocyanin; Phycoerythrin; Rhodophyta; Species Specificity; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Spectrophotometry; Sunlight