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Allocation of photoassimilated carbon into major algal metabolite fractions: Variation between two diatom species isolated from the Weddell Sea (Antarctica)

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Abstract

Distribution of photoassimilated carbon into major metabolite classes differed between two Antarctic diatom species, Nitzschia curta and a small unicellular Chaetoceros sp.. Time course uptake studies (over 54 h) revealed that 14C allocation appeared to be equilibrated after approximately 8 h at light saturated photosynthesis. During short term dark periods (6 h), polysaccharides as well as low-molecular-weight compounds were catabolised to sustain protein synthesis in the dark, whilst lipid reserves were not mobilised for this process. Experiments with these two species were conducted at 0 and -1.5°C, although no difference in the distribution of radiolabel was measured between the two temperatures. It is hypothesised that under near-optimal conditions fast growing species are characterised by a high carbon turnover associated with a rapid flow of newly assimilated carbon into polymeric compound classes. On the other hand, slower growing species (such as N. curta) may store a significant amount of surplus carbon in the low-molecular-weight metabolite fraction. Species specific preferences were observed when comparing the accumulation of radiolabel into the lipid pools.

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  1. Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Postfach 120161, W-2850, Bremerhaven, Germany

    David N. Thomas & Markus Gleitz

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  1. David N. Thomas
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  2. Markus Gleitz
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Thomas, D.N., Gleitz, M. Allocation of photoassimilated carbon into major algal metabolite fractions: Variation between two diatom species isolated from the Weddell Sea (Antarctica). Polar Biol 13, 281–286 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238764

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238764

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