Article
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Effect of light intensity on the fatty acid composition of dinoflagellates symbiotic with hermatypic corals

  • and
Published/Copyright: September 12, 2006
Botanica Marina
From the journal Volume 49 Issue 4

Abstract

We examined the effects of varying light intensity on fatty acid composition in symbiotic dinoflagellates (SD) isolated from hermatypic corals Millepora intricata, Pocillopora damicornis, Seriatopora caliendrum, Seriatopora hystrix and Stylophora pistillata. The corals were subjected to 95%, 30%, 8% and 2% of incident photosynthetic active radiation (PAR). Irradiance had a significant effect on fatty acid composition of polar lipids and triacylglycerols. SD showed substantial changes in the proportion of 16:0 as a response to variation in PAR. During adaptation to high light, the percentage of 16:0 increased in polar lipids and triacylglycerols. Additionally, the percentage of 14:0, 16:1(n-7) increased in triacylglycerols. Thus, high light conditions lead to an increase in storage products. Polar lipids of SD adapted to low levels of PAR had greater concentrations of 18:4(n-3), 20:5(n-3), 18:5(n-3) and 22:5(n-6) which are commonly involved in the formation of thylakoid membranes. Conversely, the amounts of 20:4(n-6) and 22:6(n-3) increased with increasing irradiance, suggesting an association with photosynthesis. The elevation in percentages of 18:4(n-3), 20:5(n-3) and 18:5(n-3) during exposure to low light was accompanied by an increase in chlorophyll a content in the SD cells. Light-dependent changes in fatty acid composition are probably due to the correlation of activity of photosystems with processes of production and desaturation of fatty acids.

:

Corresponding author

References

Bell, M.B., J.R. Dick and D.W. Pond. 1997. Octadecapentaenoic acid in a raphidophyte alga, Heterosigma akashimo. Phytochemistry45: 303–306.Search in Google Scholar

Berner, T., Y. Achituv, Z. Dubinsky and Y. Benayahu. 1987. Pattern of distribution and adaptation to different irradiance levels of zooxanthellae in the soft coral Litophyton arboretum (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea). Symbiosis3: 23–40.Search in Google Scholar

Berner, T., K. Wyman, Z. Dubinski and P.G. Falkowski. 1989. Photoadaptation and the “package” effect in Dunaliella tertiolecta (Chlorophyceae). J. Phycol.25: 70–78.10.1111/j.0022-3646.1989.00070.xSearch in Google Scholar

Bishop, D.G. and J.R. Kenrick. 1980. Fatty acid composition of symbiotic zooxanthellae in relation to their hosts. Lipids15: 799–804.10.1007/BF02534368Search in Google Scholar

Blanchemain, A. and D. Grizeau. 1996. Eicosapentaenoic acid content of Skeletonema costatum as a function of growth and irradiance: relation with chlorophyll a content and photosynthetic capacity. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol.196: 177–188.10.1016/0022-0981(95)00129-8Search in Google Scholar

Bligh, E.G. and W.J. Dyer. 1959. A rapid method of total lipid extraction and purification. Can. J. Biochem. Physiol.37: 911–917.10.1139/o59-099Search in Google Scholar

Brown, M.R., G.A. Dunstan, S.W. Jeffrey, J.K. Volkman, S.M. Barrett and J.-M. LeRoi. 1993. The influence of irradiance on the biochemical composition of the prymnesiophyte Isochrysis sp. (clone T-ISO). J. Phycol.29: 601–612.10.1111/j.0022-3646.1993.00601.xSearch in Google Scholar

Brown, M.R., G.A. Dunstan, S.J. Norwood and K.A. Miller. 1996. Effect of harvest stage and light on the biochemical composition of the diatom Thalassiosira pseodonana. J. Phycol.32: 64–73.10.1111/j.0022-3646.1996.00064.xSearch in Google Scholar

Carreau, J.P. and J.P. Dubacq. 1978. Adaptation of macro-scale method to the micro-scale for fatty acid methyl transesterification of biological lipid extracts. J. Chromatogr.151: 384–390.10.1016/S0021-9673(00)88356-9Search in Google Scholar

Christie, W. 1988. Equivalent chain-lengths of methyl ester derivatives of fatty acids on gas chromatography. J. Chromatogr.447: 305–314.10.1016/0021-9673(88)90040-4Search in Google Scholar

Cohen, Z., A. Vonshak and A. Richmond. 1988. Effect of environmental conditions on fatty acid composition of the red alga Porphyridium cruentum: correlation to growth rate. J. Phycol.24: 328–332.10.1111/j.1529-8817.1988.tb04474.xSearch in Google Scholar

Falkowski, P.G. and Z. Dubinsky. 1981. Light-shade adaptation of Stylophora pistillata, a hermatypic coral from the Gulf of Eilat. Nature289: 172–174.Search in Google Scholar

Floreto, E. and S. Teshima. 1998. The fatty acid composition of seaweeds exposed to different levels of light intensity and salinity. Bot. Mar.41: 467–481.10.1515/botm.1998.41.1-6.467Search in Google Scholar

Gordillo, F.J.L., M. Goutx, F.L. Figueroa and F.X. Niel. 1998. Effects of light intensity, CO2 and nitrogen supply on lipid class composition of Dunalialla viridis. J. Appl. Phycol.10: 135–144.Search in Google Scholar

Harwood, J. and N. Russell. 1984. Lipids in plants and microbes. George Allen & Unwin. Ltd., London. pp. 162.Search in Google Scholar

Hodgson, P.A., R.J. Hendeson, J.R. Sargent and J.W. Leftley. 1991. Patterns of variation in the lipid class and fatty acid composition of Nannochloropsis oculata (Eustigmatophyceae) during bath culture. I. The growth cycle. J. Appl. Phycol.3: 169–181.10.1007/BF00003699Search in Google Scholar

Johannes, R.E. and W.J. Wiebe. 1970. A method for determination of coral tissue biomass and composition. Limnol. Oceanogr.15:822–824.10.4319/lo.1970.15.5.0822Search in Google Scholar

Joseph, J.D. 1975. Identification of 3,6,9,12,15-octadecapentaenoic acid in laboratory-cultured photosynthetic dinoflagellates. Lipids10: 395–403.Search in Google Scholar

Klyachko-Gurvich, G.L., L.N. Tsoglin, J. Doucha, J. Kopetskii, I.B. Shebalina and V.E. Semenenko. 1999. Desaturation of fatty acids as an adaptive response to shifts in light intensity. Physiol. Plant107: 240–249.10.1034/j.1399-3054.1999.100212.xSearch in Google Scholar

Klyachko-Gurvich, G.L., N.A. Pronina, V.G. Ladygin, L.N. Tsoglin and V.E. Semenenko. 2000. Uncoupled functioning of separate photosystems. 1. Characteristics of fatty acid desaturation and its role. Russ. J. Plant Physiol.47: 603–612.Search in Google Scholar

Loh, W., M. Hidaka, M. Hirose and E.A. Titlyanov. 2002. Genotypic diversity of symbiotic dinoflagellates associated with hermatypic corals from a fringing reef at Sesoko Island, Okinawa. Galaxea, JCRS.4: 1–9.Search in Google Scholar

Mansour, M.P., J.K. Volkman, A.E. Jackson and S.I. Blackburn. 1999. The fatty acid and sterol composition of five marine dinoflagellates. J. Phycol.35: 710–720.10.1046/j.1529-8817.1999.3540710.xSearch in Google Scholar

Mortensen, S.H., K.Y. Borshein, J.R. Rainuzzo and G. Knutsen. 1988. Fatty acid and element composition of the marine diatom Chaetoceros gracilis Schutt. Effect of silicate deprivation, temperature and light intensity. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol.122: 173–185.Search in Google Scholar

Muller-Parker, G., K.W. Lee and C.B. Cook. 1996. Changes in the structure of symbiotic zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium sp., Dinophyceae) in fed and starved sea anemones maintained under high and low light. J. Phycol.32: 987–994.Search in Google Scholar

Napolitano, G.E. 1994. The relationship of lipids with light and chlorophyll measurements in freshwater algae and periphyton. J. Phycol.30: 943–950.10.1111/j.0022-3646.1994.00943.xSearch in Google Scholar

Ohrlogge, J. and J. Browse. 1995. Lipid biosynthesis. Plant Cell7: 957–970.10.1105/tpc.7.7.957Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

Parrish, C.C., G. Bodennec and P. Gentien. 1994. Time courses of intracellular and extracellular lipid classes in batch cultures of the toxic dinoflagellates, Gymnodinium cf. nagasakiense. Mar. Chem.48: 71–82.Search in Google Scholar

Patton, J.S. and J.E. Burris. 1983. Lipid synthesis and extrusion by freshly isolated zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae). Mar. Biol.75: 131–136.10.1007/BF00405995Search in Google Scholar

Richardson, K., J. Beardall and J.A. Raven. 1983. Adaptation of unicellular algae to irradiance: an analysis of strategies. New Phytol.93: 157–191.10.1111/j.1469-8137.1983.tb03422.xSearch in Google Scholar

Sicko-Goad, L., M.S. Simmons, D. Lazinsky and J. Hall. 1988. Effect of light cycles on diatom fatty acid composition and quantitative morphology. J. Phycol.24: 1–7.10.1111/j.1529-8817.1988.tb04448.xSearch in Google Scholar

Sukenik, A., Y. Carmeli and T. Berner. 1989. Regulation of fatty acid composition by irradiance level in the eustigmatophyte Nannochloropsis sp. J. Phycol.25: 686–692.10.1111/j.0022-3646.1989.00686.xSearch in Google Scholar

Sukenik, A. and Y. Carmeli. 1990. Lipid synthesis and fatty acid composition in Nannochloropsis sp. (Eustigmatophyceae) grown in a light-dark cycle. J. Phycol.26: 463–469.10.1111/j.0022-3646.1990.00463.xSearch in Google Scholar

Sukenik, A. and R. Wahnon. 1991. Biochemical quality of marine unicellular algae with special emphasis on lipid composition. I. Isochrysis galbana. Aquaculture97: 61–72.10.1016/0044-8486(91)90279-GSearch in Google Scholar

Thompson, P.A., P.J. Harrison and J.N.C. Whyte. 1990. Influence of irradiance on the fatty acid composition of phytoplankton. J. Phycol.26: 278–288.10.1111/j.0022-3646.1990.00278.xSearch in Google Scholar

Titlyanov, E.A., T.V. Titlyanova, A. Amat and K. Yamazato. 2001. Morphophysiological variations of symbiotic dinoflagellates in hermatypic corals from a fringing reef at Sesoko Island. Galaxea, JCRS3: 51–63.Search in Google Scholar

Titlyanov, E.A., T.V. Titlyanova and K. Yamazato. 2002. Acclimation of symbiotic reef-building corals to extremely low light. Symbiosis33: 125–143.Search in Google Scholar

Trench, R.K. 1997. Diversity of symbiotic dinoflagellates and the evolution of microalgal-invertebrate symbiosis. Proc. 8th Int. Coral Reef Symp.2: 1275–1286.Search in Google Scholar

Zhukova, N.V. and E.A. Titlyanov. 2003. Fatty acid variations in symbiotic dinoflagellates from Okinawan corals. Phytochemistry62: 191–195.10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00371-0Search in Google Scholar

Published Online: 2006-09-12
Published in Print: 2006-09-01

©2006 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York

Downloaded on 5.4.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/BOT.2006.041/html
Scroll to top button