chlorophyll-b and fucoxanthin

A quantitative method based on high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QqQ-MS) has been established for five pigments in marine phytoplanktons. The HPLC method used ternary solvent systems and a reversed-phase C16-amide column. In addition, methanol, acetonitrile and aqueous ammonium acetate were used as mobile phases. Five pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, β, β-carotene, lutein and fucoxanthin) were quantified in selective reaction mode. As results, good linear relationships were achieved between the concentrations and the peak areas of the five pigment standards. And their correlation coefficients (r2) were higher than 0.996. The recoveries of the pigment standards were between 82.77% and 99.83%. The inter-day and intra-day precisions were lower than 5% (n = 5). The detection limits of the pigments for this method were between 0.02 and 0.16 μg/L and the quantification limits were in the range from 0.06 to 0.54 μg/L. According to the above method, eleven algae (Heterosigma akashiwo (NMBRah03-2), Heterosigma akashiwo (NMBRah03-2-2), Karlodinium veneficum (NMBjah047-1), Prorocentrum minimum ( NMBjah042), Nannochloropsis oceanic (NMBluh014), Chlorella pyrenoidosa (NMBluh015-1), Pleurochrysis sp. (NMBjih026-1), Prymnesium sp. (NMBjih029), Skeletonema costatum (NMBguh004-1), Thalassiosira weiss- flogii (NMBguh021) and Thalassiosira pseudonana) (NMBguh005)) have been investigated for comparing the pigment distributions. The method is sensitive, accurate, reproducible, and useful for the study of alga compositions.

Topics: beta Carotene; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Lutein; Phytoplankton; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Xanthophylls

The interaction between physical and biological factors responsible for the cessation of ripple migration on a sandy intertidal flat was examined during a microalgal bloom period in late winter/early spring, as part of a wider study into the biostabilisation of intertidal sediments. Ripple positions and ripple geometry were monitored, and surface sediment was sampled, at weekly intervals over a 5-week period. Ripples remained in the same position for at least 4 weeks, during which time there was a progressive reduction in bedform height (smoothing) and deposition of some 1.5 cm sediment, mainly in the ripple troughs (surface levelling). The mean chlorophyll a (chl a) sediment content was 6.0 microg gDW(-1) (DW: dry weight) (0-1 mm depth fraction), with a maximum value of 7.4 microg gDW(-1) half way through the bloom. Mean colloidal-S carbohydrate (S: saline extraction) content was 131 microg GE gDW(-1) (GE: glucose equivalent) (0-1 mm), with a maximum of 261 microg GE gDW(-1 )towards the end of the bloom. Important accessory pigments were peridinin (indicative of dinophytes) and fucoxanthin (diatoms). Stepwise multiple regression showed that peridinin was the best predictor of chl a. For the first time, in situ evidence for the mediation of (wave) ripple migration by microalgae is provided. Results indicate that diatoms, and quite possibly dinophytes, can have a significant effect on intertidal flat ripple mobility on a temporal scale of weeks. In addition, microalgal effects appear capable of effecting a reduction in bed roughness on a spatial scale of up to 10(-2 )m, with a subsequent reduction in bottom stress and bed erodability. It is suggested that a unique combination of environmental conditions, in conjunction with the microalgal bloom(s), promoted the initial cessation of ripple movement, and that stationary-phase, diatom-derived extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) (and possibly dinophyte-derived EPS) may have prolonged the condition. It is reasonable to suppose that ripple stabilisation by similar processes may have contributed to ripple mark preservation in the geological record. A conceptual model of sandy intertidal flat processes is presented, illustrating two conditions: (i) a low EPS/microalgae sediment content with low ripple stabilisation and preservation potential; and (ii) a high EPS/microalgae content with higher preservation potential.

Topics: Carbohydrates; Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; England; Environmental Microbiology; Eukaryota; Geologic Sediments; Water Movements; Xanthophylls; Zeaxanthins

The green alga Botryococcus protuberans was isolated from its natural environment and its morphology under different cultural conditions was examined. The alga was characterized by a high starch content and reddish oil drops as the assimilatory products. Photosynthetic pigments, Chl a, Chl b, carotenoids and xanthophylls are present. Modification of environmental conditions in modified Chu-10 medium resulted in optimum growth of the alga. Fatty acid composition revealed palmitic acid being the major component, while lauric acid, myristic acid and stearic acid were found in less quantity.

Topics: Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chlorophyta; Energy-Generating Resources; Fatty Acids; Light; Reproduction, Asexual; Xanthophylls

We have cloned and characterized members of a gene family encoding polypeptide constituents of the fucoxanthin, chlorophyll a/c protein complex, a light-harvesting complex associated with photosystem II of diatoms and brown algae. Three cDNA clones encoding proteins associated with this complex in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum have been isolated. As deduced from the nucleotide sequences, these light-harvesting proteins show homology to the chlorophyll a/b binding polypeptides of higher plants. Specifically, the N-terminal regions of the fucoxanthin, chlorophyll a/c-binding proteins are homologous to the chlorophyll a/b binding proteins in both the third membrane-spanning domain and the stroma-exposed region between membrane-spanning domains 2 and 3. Like the chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins, the mature fucoxanthin, chlorophyll a/c polypeptides have three hydrophobic alpha-helical domains which could span the membrane bilayer. The similarities between the two light-harvesting proteins might reflect the fact that both bind chlorophyll molecules and/or might be important for maintaining certain structural features of the complex. There is little similarity between the N-terminal sequences of the primary translation products of the fucoxanthin, chlorophyll a/c proteins and any transit sequences that have been characterized. Instead, the N-terminal sequences have features resembling those of signal sequences. Thus either transit peptides used in P. tricornutum show little resemblance to those of higher plants and green algae or the nuclear-encoded plastid proteins enter the organelle via a mechanism different from that used in higher plants.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Base Sequence; Biological Transport; Carotenoids; Carrier Proteins; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chloroplasts; Eukaryota; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Molecular Sequence Data; Multigene Family; Phaeophyceae; Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; Photosystem II Protein Complex; Plants; Restriction Mapping; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Xanthophylls