• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.16
• /
• pp.6773-6779
• /
• 2014

Background: Nanotechnology opens new applications in many fields including medicine. Among all metallic nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles (silver NPS) have proved to be the most effective against a large variety of organisms including toxic cyanobacteria. Materials and Methods: Silver NPs were biosynthesized in vivo with different alga species namely, Spirulina piatensis, Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus oh/iquus following two scenarios. First: by suspending a thoroughly washed algae biomass in 1 mM aqueous $AgN0_3$ solution. Second: by culturing them individually in culture media containing the same concentration of $AgN0_3$. Silver NPs were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive analysis (EDX) and Fourier transform infra-red (FfIR) spectroscopy. The biosynthesized silver NPs were tested for cytotoxic activity against a cancer promoter cyanobacteruim Microcystis aeruginosa, considering effects on cell viability and chlorophyll content. Results: The surface plasmon band indicated the biosynthesis of silver NPs at ~400 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the silver NPs had a mean average size below 100 nm. Energy-dispersive analysis X-ray (EDX) spectra confirmed the presence of silver element. FfIR spectral analyses suggested that proteins and or polysaccharides may be responsible for the biosynthesis of silver NPs and (-COO-) of carboxylate ions is responsible for stabilizing them. The toxic potentialities ofthe biosynthesized silver NPs against the cancer promoter cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa showed high reduction in viable cells count and the total chlorophyll content. Conclusions: The potential activity of the biosynthesized silver NPs from the studied algae species against Microcystis aernginosa cells is expected to be mainly mediated by the release of silver ions (Ag+) from the particle surface and bioactive compounds as indicated by FfIR analysis.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.1.1-11
• /
• 1992

To find heavy metal-specific effects on the photosynthetic apparatus of higher plants, we investigated effects of $CuCl_2$, HgCl_2$ and $ZnCl_2$ on electron transport activity and chlorophyll fluorescence induction kinetics of chloroplasts isolated from barley seedlings. Effects on some related processes such as germination, growth and photosynthetic pigments of the test plants were also studied. Germination and growth rate were inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by these metals. Mercury was shown to be the most potent inhibitor of germination, growth and biosynthesis of photosynthetic pigments of barley plants. In the inhibition of electron transport activity, quantum yield of PS II, and chlorophyll fluorescence induction kinetics of chloroplasts isolated from barley seedlings, mercury chloride showed more pronounced effects than other two metals. Contrary to the effects of other two metals, mercury chloride increased variable fluorescence significantly and abolished qE in the fluorescence induction kinetics from broken chloroplasts of barley seedlings. This increase in variable fluorescence is due to the inhibition of the electron transport chain after PS ll and the following dark reactions. The inhibition of qE could be attributed to the interruption of pH formation and do-epoxidation of violaxathin to zeaxanthin in thylakoids by mercury. This unique effect of mercury on chlorophyll fluorescence induction pattern could be used as a good indicator for testing the presence and/or the concentration of mercury in the samples contaminated with heavy metals.

• Journal of the Korean Professional Engineers Association
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.16-22
• /
• 1985

This study was carried out to evaluate the quality of soybean sprouts grown under three different sources of light. The soybean was germinated under light through blue (251 ux), red (751 ux) and white (50 to 200 lux) polyethylene films at 25$^{\circ}C$ for 10hr./day. Vitamin C, chlorophyll, cellulose and total protein contents were determined and texture was evaluated by tasting soybean sprouts soup. protein pattern in the soybean sprouts were investigated using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Vitamin C, chlorophyll and cellulose contents were increased by white light intensity. The texture of the sprouts grown under white light (50 lux, 100 lux) was better than darkness, but fought under 200 lux. Vitamin C contents of soybean sprouts grown under various sources of light (in order of light : blue > white > red) were higher than theses of ones grown in the darkness. Biosynthesis of chlorophyll was not correlated to Vitamin C content. Total protein contents of cotyledon was not changed significantly under light irradiation. But the soybean sprouts grown under different quality of light, hypocotyl was higher than those grown darkness. (37% and 20% higher for blue light and white light) Densitometric tracing of disc polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic patterns showed that protein of hypocotyl under white light had more high molecular weight protein.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.15-19
• /
• 1967

Chlorella ellipsoidea cells were cultured in an iron, copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum or boron-free medium. Physiological activities such as growth rate, reproduction, endogenous and glucose respiration, photosynthetic activity and biosythesis of chlorophyll of the micro-element definition cells were measured. It generally, growth rate, respiratory and photosynthetic activities, and biosynthesis of chlorophyll of the micro-element deficient cells decreased more or less, compared with those of the normal cells. The growth of the algal cells in an iron-free medium were retarded severely with the chlorosis, and the photosynthetic activity of the cells decreased remarkably even though the low content of chlorophyll in the cells owing to the iron-deficiency is considered. Therefore, it is deduced that iron takes part in the photosynthetic process itself, possibly by its participation in the photo phosphorylation coupled with electron transport. Respiratory activity of boron-deficient cells showed the most severe decrease whereas those of the molybdenum-deficient cells showed very slight decrease in spite of severe growth retardation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.100 no.4
• /
• pp.733-737
• /
• 2011

We investigated the effect of artificial warming on chlorophyll contents and net photosynthetic rates of 2-year-old Quercus variabilis seedlings in a nursery open-field experiment site. 64 seedlings were each planted in $1m{\times}1m$ plots (n = 4) and warmed with infrared lamps. The air temperature in warmed plots was $3^{\circ}C$ higher than that of control plots. Chlorophyll contents and net photosynthetic rates were measured in May, July, August, September and October, 2011. In May, September and October chlorophyll contents and net photosynthetic rates were significantly higher in warmed plots than in control plots. However, there were no significant differences in chlorophyll contents and net photosynthetic rates between warmed plots and control plots in July and August. It seemed that early developed leaves of warmed plots in May with higher chlorophyll contents could lead to higher net photosynthetic rates whereas there was no difference in net photosynthetic rates due to saturation of chlorophyll contents in July and August. Increased biosynthesis of chlorophyll due to warming might increase net photosynthetic rates in September and October.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.292-297
• /
• 2007

The unicellular green alga, Haematococcus pluvialis used as a biological production system for astaxanthin. It accumulates large amounts of the red ketocarotenoid astaxanthin when exposed to various environmental stress such as active oxygen species and high light intensities. To induce astaxanthin biosynthesis of H. pluvialis, cells were incubated in either nitrate free at $25^{\circ}C$ under continuous high light intensity ($1,000\;{\mu}mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$) for 2 days or high light stress only. Expressions of astaxanthin biosynthetic genes such as carotenoid hydroxylase, IPP isomerase and ${\beta}$-carotene ketolase were monitored under different culture conditions by using real time RT-PCR. All the subjected genes increased their expression under highlight and N-deprivation condition where a large amount of astaxanthin was accumulated.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.269-280
• /
• 2010

Lilium ${\times}$ formolongi was genetically engineered by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation with the plasmid pCrtZW-N8idi-crtEBIY, which contains seven enzyme genes under the regulation of the CaMV 35S promoter. In the transformants, ketocarotenoids were detected in both calli and leaves, which showed a strong orange color. In transgenic calli, the total amount of carotenoids [133.3 ${\mu}g/g$ fresh weight (FW)] was 26.1-fold higher than in wild-type calli. The chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency in transgenic orange plantlets were significantly lowered; however, after several months of subculture, they had turned into plantlets with green leaves that showed significant increases in chlorophyll and photosynthetic efficiency. The total carotenoid contents in leaves of transgenic orange and green plantlets were quantified at 102.9 and 135.2 ${\mu}g/g$ FW, respectively, corresponding to 5.6- and 7.4-fold increases over the levels in the wild-type. Ketocarotenoids such as echinenone, canthaxanthin, 3'-hydroxyechinenone, 3-hydroxyechinenone, and astaxanthin were detected in both transgenic calli and orange leaves. A significant change in the type and composition of ketocarotenoids was observed during the transition from orange transgenic plantlets to green plantlets. Although 3'-hydroxyechinenone, 3-hydroxyechinenone, astaxanthin, and adonirubin were absent, and echinenone and canthaxanthin were present at lower levels, interestingly, the upregulation of carotenoid biosynthesis led to an increase in the total carotenoid concentration (+31.4%) in leaves of the transgenic green plantlets.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.27-40
• /
• 1982

The effects of heavy metals on the growth rate and phosphate metabolism of Chlorella elliposidea cells were investigated. Chlorella cells were cultured in the media treated with Hg(0.3, 0.7, 0.9 ppm), Cd(1, 5, 15ppm), and Zn(1, 5, 50ppm) for 6days. Aliquots cells were taken out at the inoculation and at intervals during the culture, and measured packed cell vlolume and optical density. The inhibitions of heavy metals on the growth rate and chlorophyll contents were traced. Also after 6 days culture, the amounts of inorganic phosphate and organic compounds of various fractions in Chlorella cells were observed. The turbid effects of heavy metals on the growth rate and chlorphyll contents of Chlorella cells were in order of Hg>Cd>Zn. Because heavy metals depressed the biosynthesis of inorganic polyphosphates and nucleic acids and turn over of inorganic phosphates, the amounts of various phosphate compounds were decreased. The inhibitory effect of photosynthesis by heavy metals resulted in lower contents of carbohydrate. Due to the turbidity of biosynthesis of amino acids by heavy metals, contents of protein were reduced in comparison with those of control. It is suggested conciusively that the minimum concentrations affected by heavy metals on the growth rate and phosphate metabolism of Chlorella cells were 0.7 ppm Hg, 15ppm Cd, 50ppm Zn.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.81-93
• /
• 1994

This study was conducted to characterize herbicidal activity of the new type diphenylether compounds inducing bleaching(whitening) in relation to their chemical structures and to find out the herbicidal action mechanism. Bleaching was highly appeared in the compounds which have short chain alkyl or allyl group of cabamoyl type in meta position of A ring and nitro group in para position of B ring, and KC6361 showed the highest efficacy among these derivatives. Rice was tolerant to KC6361 at 2.0kg/ha. The applications of this compound at 0.25~1.0kg/ha provided acceptable control of the various weeds including large crabgrass, barnyardgrass, pigweed and so on. In the dark condition, KC6361 decreased carotenoid contents but increased chlorophyll in etiolated cucumber cotyledon. By the increase of light intensity, the carotenoid biosynthesis was more inhibited than the chlorophyll biosynthesis. The incorporation of $C^{14}$-acetate into lipid was slightly inhibited. Both KC6361 and norflurazon stimulated growth of dwarf rice(cv. Daneunbanju). These results suggest that both KC6361 and norflurazon may have the same action sites. To confirm this hypothesis, the changes of carotenoid intermediates in cucumber cotyledon and barnyardgrass leaf treated with KC6361 were investigated. Phytoene and phytofluene were increased but ${\beta}$-carotene was decreased, indicating that KC6361 inhibited phytoene and/or phytofluene dehydrogenase like norflurazon.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.314-324
• /
• 1997

This study was conducted to investigate whether 1) photosynthetic pigments(chlorophylls and carotenoids) are formed in dodder plant(Cuscuta australis), 2) there are any characteristics in the pigment biosynthesis, compared to that of other normal plants, and 3) dodder responds to some herbicides having target site on chloroplast. 1. Chlorophyll content of dodder tendrill grown under a natural daylight was 9 times and 50 times lower than that of field bindweed stem and leaf, respectively. 2. The photosynthetic pigment contents varied in different tissues, being higher in a apical region than in a lower region of seedling or tendrill. Chlorophyll wasn't almost observed below the 4th internode from the upper. 3. Pigment contents were greatly dependent on light intensity so that there were 4 to 6 times difference among light conditions. When the shoot containning low pigment contents under natural light, was incubated in growth chamber with various light intensities, the pigment contents were increased by 3 times of initial contents at about 97${\mu}E$ $m^{-2}s^{-1}$PAR. While the change in pigment contents was not observed at above 450${\mu}E$ $m^{-2}s^{-1}$PAR 4. Exogenous supply of 5mM 5-aminolevulinic acid increased protochlorophyllide by 7 times and 1.4 times in the etiolated shoot from field bindweed rhizome and in dodder stem, respectively, showing that dodder relatively has a low response to 5-aminolevulinic acid. 5. Pigment loss was observed in the treatment of paraquat, norflurazon, oxyfluorfen and diuron, and protoporphyrin IX was accumulated by oxyfluorfen as in normal plants Based on above results, several chracteristics of pigment biosynthesis in dodder seem to be summerized as follows. Photosynthetic pigment biosynthesis in Cuscuta australis runs even in low level. The pigment contents is differentially distributed in different regions and their contents seem significantly to be controlled by light intensities. Especially, chloroplast rapidly tends to degenerate with the development of tissue. Some herbicides having target site on chloroplast induce damage to dodder stem but are unlikely to control it well in field, except paraquat, due to low chloroplast activity and parasitic mode of nutrition.