• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.389-394
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• 2001

During austral summer 1998 we examined the impacts of artificial UV-B and solar radiation on chlorophyll a content and fresh weight of four species of Antarctic red algae namely, Georgiella confluens, Iridaea cordata, Pantoneura plocamioides and Porphyra endiviifolium. These subject species were taken in consideration of clear demarcations of their vertical distribution and classified as shallow water group (Iridaea and Porphyra) and deep water group (Georgiella and Pantoneura). When irradiated with artificial UV-B at the irradiance of $2.0Wm^{-2}$ the shallow water inhabitants were much more resistant than the algae from deep water the fresh weight of which was reduced by 40-50% relative to control apart from loss of pigmentation. Direct solar radiation was lethal to the deep water group with a sign of complete bleaching whereas the shallow water group did not show any change in the physiological parameters. We were unable to discriminate difference in the algal sensitivity between UV-filtered and UV-transparent treatments since samples tested were either all unaffected or dead. Spectrophotometric measurements of methanolic extracts revealed a strong absorption peak in the UV range in the shallow water group of algae, Iridaea and Porphyra, but not in the deep water counterparts. Species difference in sensitivity to artificial UV-B and solar radiation is discussed in relation to biochemical and morphological characteristics and the role of the radiation in the algal vertical distribution is suggested from ecological perspective.

• ALGAE
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.241-252
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• 2023

The genera Carolibrandtia and Chlorella have been described as small green algae with spherical cell shapes that inhabit various environments. Species of these genera are often difficult to identify because of their simple morphology and high phenotypic plasticity. We investigated two small coccoid strains from Antarctica based on morphology, molecular phylogeny by two alignment methods which have been applied to previous phylogenetic studies of the genus Chlorella, and comparison of the secondary structures of nuclear small subunit (SSU) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA sequences. Light microscopy of two strains revealed spherical cells containing chloroplasts with pyrenoids, and the morphological characteristics of the strains were nearly identical to those of other Chlorella species. However, based on the phylogenetic analyses of nuclear SSU and ITS rDNA sequences, it was determined that the Antarctic microalgal strains belonged to two genera, as the Chlorella and Carolibrandtia. In addition, the secondary structures of the SSU and ITS2 sequences were analyzed to detect compensatory base changes (CBCs) that were used to identify and describe the two strains. A unique CBC in the SSU rDNA gene was decisive for distinguishing strain CCAP 211/45. The ITS2 rDNA sequences for each strain were compared to those obtained previously from other closely related species. Following the comparison of morphological and molecular characteristics, we propose KSF0092 as a new species, Chlorella terrestris sp. nov., and the reassignment of the strain Chlorella antarctica CCAP 211/45 into Carolibrandtia antarctica comb. nov.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.625-631
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• 2003

While phytoplankton diversity and productivity in the Southern Ocean has been widely studied in recent years, most attention has been given to elucidating environmental factors that affect the dynamics of micro-plankton (mainly diatoms) and nano-plankton (mainly Phaeocystis antarctica). Only limited effects have been given to studying the occurrence and the potential risks associated with the blooming of dinoflagellates in the relevant waters. This study focused on the appearance and toxicological characteristics of a toxic dinoflagellate, Alexandrium tamarense, identified and isolated from the Drake Passage in a research cruise from November to December 2001 The appearance of A. tamarense in the Southern Ocean indicates the risk of a paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) outbreak there and is therefore of scientific concern. Results showed that while the overall quantity of A. tamarense in water samples from 30meters below the sea surface often comprised less than 0.1% of the total population of phytoplankton, the highest concentration of A. tamarense (20 cells $L^{-1}$) was recorded in the portion of the Southern Ocean between the southern end of South America and the Falkland Islands. Waters near the Polar Front contained the second highest concentrations of 10-15 cells $L^{-1}$. A. tamarense was however rarely found in waters near the southern side of the Polar Front, indicating that cold sea temperatures near the Antarctic ice does not favor the growth of this dinoflagellate. One strain of A. tamarense from this cruise was isolated and cultured for further study in the laboratory. Experiments showed that this strain of A. tamarense has a high tolerance to temperature variations and could survive at temperatures ranging from $5-26^{\circ}C$. This shows the cosmopolitan nature off. tamarense. With regard to the algal toxins produced, this strain of A. tamarense produced mainly C-2 toxins but very little saxitoxin and gonyailtoxin. The toxicological property of this A. tamarense strain coincided with a massive death of penguins in the Falkland Islands in December 2002 to January 2003.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.427-435
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• 2003

Growth and pigment responses to different levels of solar radiation with or without ultraviolet (UV)-B component $({\lambda}=280-315nm)$ were investigated in Antarctic rhodophytes, Kallymenia antarctica and Palmaria decipiens, collected around King George Island during the summer of 2000. In K. antarctica specific growth rate, based on thallus area or fresh weight, decreased with increasing solar irradiances while P. decipiens were relatively insensitive to the effects of light. It is noticeable that the presence or absence of UV-B had no significant effect on growth for either species. However, K. antarctica showed a more pronounced reduction in chlorophyll (Chl a) concentrations at higher irradiances in the presence of UV-B. In P. decipiens, Chl a concentrations did not differ despite radiation level fluctuations being lower albeit than initial measurements. Thallus thickness was greater in K. antarctica than in P. decipiens. There were higher relative amounts of UV-absorbing pigments (UVAPs) in P. decipiens than in K, antarctica. The single absorbance peak obtained from the methanol extracts was resolved into three (316,332 and 346nm) in K. antarctica and four peaks (315,326,333 and 349 nm) in Palmaria as a result of the fourth-derivative. After 7 days exposure to solar radiation, the amount of UVAPs in K. antarctica was significantly reduced to a similar degree at all light levels, whereas that of P. decipiens remained unchanged except at 5% of surface irradiance. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of purified extracts indicated that P. decipiens possesses porphyra-334 in addition to three other mycosporine-like anlino acids (MAAs; asterina-330, palythine, shinorine), which are commonly present in K. antarctica. Significantly lower tolerance of K. antarctica to high levels of solar radiation may be connected with its usual absence in the eulittoral, while the active growth and elastic pigment responses of P. decipiens over a wide range of solar irradiance levels up to full sunlight seems to correspond well with its wide vertical distribution from rock pools down to 25-30m.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1919-1926
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• 2008

Statistical experimental designs; involving (i) a fractional factorial design (FFD) and (ii) a central composite design (CCD) were applied to optimize the culture medium constituents for production of a unique antifreeze protein by the Antartic micro algae Chaetoceros neogracile. The results of the FFD suggested that NaCl, KCl, $MgCl_2$, and ${Na}_{2}{SiO}_{3}$ were significant variables that highly influenced the growth rate and biomass production. The optimum culture medium for the production of an antifreeze protein from C. neogracile was found to be Kalle's artificial seawater, pH of $7.0{\pm}0.5$, consisting of 28.566 g/l of NaCl, 3.887 g/l of $MgCl_2$, 1.787 g/l of $MgSO_4$, 1.308 g/l of $CaSO_4$, 0.832 g/l of ${K_2}{SO_4}$, 0.124 g/l of $CaCO_3$, 0.103 g/l of KBr, 0.0288 g/l of $SrSO_4$, and 0.0282 g/l of ${H_3}{BO_3}$. The antifreeze activity significantly increased after cells were treated with cold shock (at $-5^{\circ}C$) for 14 h. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating an antifreeze-like protein of C. neogracile.