pheophytin-a and diatoxanthin

Carotenoids (Cars) exhibit two functions in photosynthesis, light-harvesting and photoprotective functions, which are performed through the excited states of Cars. Therefore, increasing our knowledge on excitation relaxation dynamics of Cars is important for understanding of the functions of Cars. In light-harvesting complexes, there exist Cars functioning by converting the π-conjugation number in response to light conditions. It is well known that some microalgae have a mechanism controlling the conjugation number of Cars, called as the diadinoxanthin cycle; diadinoxanthin (10 conjugations) is accumulated under low light, whereas diatoxanthin (11 conjugations) appears under high light. However, the excitation relaxation dynamics of these two Cars have not been clarified. In the present study, we investigated excitation relaxation dynamics of diadinoxanthin and diatoxanthin in relation to their functions, by the ultrafast fluorescence spectroscopy. After an excitation to the S

Topics: Acetone; Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Ethanol; Ether; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Xanthophylls

Regulation of photosynthetic light harvesting involves all major thylakoid membrane complexes. One important factor is the proton motive force (pmf) driving ATP production. Its proton gradient (ΔpH) component regulates the high energy quenching. Potassium ions largely contribute to the formation of the electric field (ΔΨ). ΔΨ and ΔpH partially compensate each other to form pmf. Whilst in plants considerable progress has been made in analyzing the interplay of H

Topics: Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Diatoms; Fluorescence; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Ionophores; Liposomes; Photosystem II Protein Complex; Potassium; Valinomycin; Xanthophylls

Diatoms contain a highly flexible capacity to dissipate excessively absorbed light by nonphotochemical fluorescence quenching (NPQ) based on the light-induced conversion of diadinoxanthin (Dd) into diatoxanthin (Dt) and the presence of Lhcx proteins. Their NPQ fine regulation on the molecular level upon a shift to dynamic light conditions is unknown. We investigated the regulation of Dd + Dt amount, Lhcx gene and protein synthesis and NPQ capacity in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum after a change from continuous low light to 3 d of sine (SL) or fluctuating (FL) light conditions. Four P. tricornutum strains with different NPQ capacities due to different expression of Lhcx1 were included. All strains responded to dynamic light comparably, independently of initial NPQ capacity. During SL, NPQ capacity was strongly enhanced due to a gradual increase of Lhcx2 and Dd + Dt amount. During FL, cells enhanced their NPQ capacity on the first day due to increased Dd + Dt, Lhcx2 and Lhcx3; already by the second day light acclimation was accomplished. While quenching efficiency of Dt was strongly lowered during SL conditions, it remained high throughout the whole FL exposure. Our results highlight a more balanced and cost-effective photoacclimation strategy of P. tricornutum under FL than under SL conditions.

Topics: Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Diatoms; Fluorescence; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Light; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Photosynthesis; Protein Biosynthesis; RNA, Messenger; Xanthophylls

The ecological importance and diversity of pico/nanoplanktonic algae remains poorly studied in marine waters, in part because many are tiny and without distinctive morphological features. Amongst green algae, Mamiellophyceae such as Micromonas or Bathycoccus are dominant in coastal waters while prasinophytes clade VII, yet not formerly described, appear to be major players in open oceanic waters. The pigment composition of 14 strains representative of different subclades of clade VII was analyzed using a method that improves the separation of loroxanthin and neoxanthin. All the prasinophytes clade VII analyzed here showed a pigment composition similar to that previously reported for RCC287 corresponding to pigment group prasino-2A. However, we detected in addition astaxanthin for which it is the first report in prasinophytes. Among the strains analyzed, the pigment signature is qualitatively similar within subclades A and B. By contrast, RCC3402 from subclade C (Picocystis) lacks loroxanthin, astaxanthin, and antheraxanthin but contains alloxanthin, diatoxanthin, and monadoxanthin that are usually found in diatoms or cryptophytes. For subclades A and B, loroxanthin was lowest at highest light irradiance suggesting a light-harvesting role of this pigment in clade VII as in Tetraselmis.

Topics: Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chlorophyta; Light; Lutein; Oceans and Seas; Photosynthesis; Pigments, Biological; Xanthophylls; Zeaxanthins

The major light-harvesting pigment protein complex (fucoxanthin-chlorophyll-binding protein complex; FCP) was purified from a marine centric diatom, Chaetoceros gracilis, by mild solubilization followed by sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and then characterized. The dynamic light scattering measurement showed unimodality, indicating that the complex was highly purified. The amount of chlorophyll a (Chl a) bound to the purified FCP accounted for more than 60 % of total cellular Chl a. The complex was composed of three abundant polypeptides, although there are nearly 30 FCP-related genes. The two major components were identified as Fcp3 (Lhcf3)- and Fcp4 (Lhcf4)-equivalent proteins based on their internal amino acid sequences and a two-dimensional isoelectric focusing electrophoresis analysis developed in this work. Compared with the thylakoids, the FCP complex showed higher contents of fucoxanthin and chlorophyll c but lower contents of the xanthophyll cycle pigments diadinoxanthin and diatoxanthin. Fluorescence excitation spectra analyses indicated that light harvesting, rather than photosystem protection, is the major function of the purified FCP complex, which is associated with more than 60 % of total cellular Chl a. These findings suggest that the huge amount of Chl bound to the FCP complex composed of Lhcf3, Lhcf4, and an unidentified minor protein has a light-harvesting function to allow efficient photosynthesis under the dim-light conditions in the ocean.

Topics: Carrier Proteins; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Diatoms; Light; Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; Photosystem II Protein Complex; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Thylakoids; Xanthophylls

The physiological response of the scleractinian coral Turbinaria reniformis to ammonium enrichment (3 μmol l(-1)) was examined at 26°C as well as during a 7 day increase in temperature to 31°C (thermal stress). At 26°C, ammonium supplementation had little effect on the coral physiology. It induced a decrease in symbiont density, compensated by an increase in chlorophyll content per symbiont cell. Organic carbon release was reduced, likely because of a better utilization of the photosynthesized carbon (i.e. incorporation into proteins, kept in the coral tissue). The δ(15)N signatures of the ammonium-enriched symbionts and host tissue were also significantly decreased, by 4 and 2‰, respectively, compared with the non-enriched conditions, suggesting a significant uptake of inorganic nitrogen by the holobiont. Under thermal stress, coral colonies that were not nitrogen enriched experienced a drastic decrease in photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments (chlorophyll a, β-carotene, diadinoxanthin, diatoxanthin and peridinin), followed by a decrease in the rates of photosynthesis and calcification. Organic carbon release was not affected by this thermal stress. Conversely, nitrogen-enriched corals showed an increase in their pigment concentrations, and maintained rates of photosynthesis and calcification at ca. 60% and 100% of those measured under control conditions, respectively. However, these corals lost more organic carbon into the environment. Overall, these results indicate that inorganic nitrogen availability can be important to determining the resilience of some scleractinian coral species to thermal stress, and can have a function equivalent to that of heterotrophic feeding concerning the maintenance of coral metabolism under stress conditions.

Topics: Ammonium Compounds; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Anthozoa; beta Carotene; Calcification, Physiologic; Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Dinoflagellida; Fluorescence; Hot Temperature; Indian Ocean; Nitrogen; Photosynthesis; Stress, Physiological; Symbiosis; Xanthophylls

Potential sex and/or gametogenic stage differences in the metabolism of chlorophyll-a and carotenoids in the brown mussel Perna perna of southern Brazil were studied using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Carotenoids derived directly from diet (phytoplankton) were fucoxanthin plus diatoxanthin (diatoms), alloxanthin (cryptophytes) and zeaxanthin (mainly cyanobacteria). Females accumulated carotenoid-diols and epoxides (~3-4 mg/g-dry wt.) while males had much lower concentrations (~0.7 mg/g-dry wt.). An antioxidant/free radical scavenging role is proposed for carotenoids in females. Mean ratios of chlorophyll plus derivatives (Chlns-a) to carotenoids for male and female P. perna were 50:1 and 4:1, respectively. The higher ratio in males relates to both higher carotenoid contents in females plus higher total Chlns-a in males (~22 mg/g-dry wt.), relative to the females (~4 mg/g-dry wt.). Chlorophyll-a metabolism in both sexes followed two distinct pathways. First, cyclization of pyropheophorbide-a gave 13(2), 17(3)-cyclopheophorbide-a-enol (CPPaE) which was further oxidized to hydroxy-chlorophyllone. Second, chlorophyll-a derivatives retaining the 13(2)-carbomethoxy moiety were oxidized to purpurin-18 which was hydrolyzed to chlorin-p(6). In both cases, metabolism of dietary chlorophyll-a was oxidative and derivatives could either serve as antioxidants or merely be the results of non-specific digestive processes.

Topics: Animals; Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Epoxy Compounds; Female; Male; Molecular Structure; Perna; Phytoplankton; Porphyrins; Xanthophylls; Zeaxanthins

Bleaching of corals by loss of symbiotic dinoflagellate algae and/or photosynthetic pigments is commonly triggered by elevated temperatures coupled with high irradiance, and is a first-order threat to coral reef communities. In this study, a high-resolution high-performance liquid chromatography method integrated with mass spectrometry was applied to obtain the first definitive identification of chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments of three clades of symbiotic dinoflagellate algae (Symbiodinium) in corals, and their response to experimentally elevated temperature and irradiance. The carotenoids peridinin, dinoxanthin, diadinoxanthin (Dn), diatoxanthin (Dt) and beta-carotene were detected, together with chlorophylls a and c2, and phaeophytin a, in all three algal clades in unstressed corals. On exposure to elevated temperature and irradiance, three coral species (Montastrea franksi and Favia fragum with clade B algae, and Montastrea cavernosa with clade C) bleached by loss of 50-80% of their algal cells, with no significant impact to chlorophyll a or c2, or peridinin in retained algal cells. One species (Agaricia sp. with clade C) showed no significant reduction in algal cells at elevated temperature and irradiance, but lost substantial amounts of chlorophyll a and carotenoid pigments, presumably through photo-oxidative processes. Two coral species (Porites astreoides and Porites porites both bearing clade A algae) did not bleach. The impact of elevated temperature and irradiance on the levels of the photoprotective xanthophylls (Dn + Dt) and beta-carotene varied among the corals, both in pool size and xanthophyll cycling, and was not correlated to coral bleaching resistance.

Topics: Animals; Anthozoa; Cell Count; Chlorophyll; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Eukaryota; Light; Mass Spectrometry; Phylogeny; Pigments, Biological; Symbiosis; Temperature; Xanthophylls

In the present study we investigate how intraspecific (density-dependent) competition for nutrients by the diatom Nitzschia microcephala affects the level of oxidative stress in the algal cells as well as their production of pigments and thiamine. N. microcephala was grown in three different densities until the stationary growth phase was reached. Throughout the experiment, growth rate was negatively related to cell density. Superoxide dismutase activity, protein thiol, and diatoxanthin concentrations indicated increasing oxidative stress with increasing cell density, which was most probably caused by nutrient depletion of the medium. Pigment contents per cell (except for diatoxanthin) decreased with increasing cell density. N. microcephala was able to synthesize thiamine and its thiamine content per cell increased in concert with cell density. In comparison, the dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae was unable to synthesize thiamine. These results suggest that cells of N. microcephala subjected to higher competition and lower growth rates have a lower carotenoid content and a higher thiamine content. If such responses would occur in nature as well, eutrophication (higher cell densities) may alter the quality of microalgae as food items for higher trophic levels not only by species shifts in the phytoplankton, but also by changes in the cellular nutritional value within species.

Topics: Animals; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Diatoms; Dinoflagellida; Eutrophication; Oxidative Stress; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Superoxide Dismutase; Thiamine; Xanthophylls

The lifetimes of the first excited singlet states (2(1)A(g)) of diadinoxanthin and diatoxanthin, carotenoids involved in the xanthophyll cycle in some genera of algae, have been measured by femtosecond time-resolved optical spectroscopy to be 22.8 +/- 0.1 ps and 13.3 +/- 0.1 ps, respectively. Using the energy gap law for radiationless transitions set forth by Englman and Jortner (Mol. Phys. 18 (1970) 145-164), these lifetimes correspond to S1 excited state energies of 15210 cm-1 for diadinoxanthin and 14620 cm-1 for diatoxanthin. The lowest excited singlet state energy of Chl a has an energy of 14700 cm-1. The fact that the S1 state energy of diadinoxanthin lies above that of Chl a, whereas the S1 state energy of diatoxanthin lies below that of Chl a, suggests that the xanthophyll cycle involving the enzymatic interconversion of diadinoxanthin and diatoxanthin may play a role in regulating energy flow between these molecules and Chl a in many species of algae, essentially fulfilling a role identical to that proposed for violaxanthin and zeaxanthin in higher plants and green algae (Frank et al. (1994) Photosyn. Res. 41, 389-395).

Topics: Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll A; Energy Metabolism; Eukaryota; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Spectrophotometry; Thermodynamics; Xanthophylls