• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.314-319
• /
• 1979

The electronic spectrum of marine dinoflagellate antenna pigment, peridinin, has been described in terms of PPP SCF MO CI computations and fluorescence polarization of the peridinin component in photosynthetic pigment complex of Amphidinium carterae. The main absorption band at 470 nm, $^1B{\leftarrow}A$, is polarized nearly along the long molecular axis. There appear to be two ${\pi}{\rightarrow}{\pi}^*$ transitions (C and $D{\leftarrow}A$) in the socalled "cis" peak region, and they are polarized roughly parallel to the main $B{\leftarrow}A$ absorption. In addition, we have found that the carbonyl group undergoes very 1ittle reorganization of the electronic structure in going from the ground to the $^1B$ excited states of peridinin, while the allenic group shows a strong charge transfer tendency in producing an electron-deficient allente allene group in the excited state.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.20-29
• /
• 2010

Cochlodinium polykrikoides has occurs regularly during the summer in the South Sea of Korea. To investigate photosynthetic pigments concerned with phytoplankton community structure as bloom of Cochlodinium polykrikoides, the experiment was sampled at 20 stations three times between July and September 2002 in the Southern Sea of Korea. The distribution of peridinin, the biomarker of dinoflagellate, was higher at the blooming time than it was before and it disappeared after bloom. The correlative coefficients between Chl. a and peridinin at the blooming time and out of bloom were 0.9253 and 0.1613, respectively. This result indicated that the bloom was caused by dinoflagellate. The correlative coefficients between Chl. a and fucoxanthin were 0.3282 and 0.9759, respectively, and the correlative coefficients showed the succession from dinoflagellate to diatom. This result means that the bloom of Cochlodinium polykrikoides can be detected by Chl. a information from satellite remote sensing. Therefore, if the algorithm to detect peridinin in addition to Chl. a were to be developed, dinoflagellate red tide could be monitored more effectively.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.73-90
• /
• 2021

Relative to the large number of photosynthetic dinoflagellate species, only a select few possess proteinaceous, carotenoid-rich eyespots which have been demonstrated in other algae to act in phototactic responses. The proteins comprising the different categories of dinoflagellate eyespots are positioned in or near the peridinin-containing photosynthetic plastid membranes which are composed primarily of two galactolipids, mono- and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG and DGDG). Within eyespot-containing dinoflagellates, this arrangement occurs mostly in those with secondary plastids, although some dinoflagellates with tertiary plastids of diatom origin are known to possess eyespots. We here provide an examination of the MGDG and DGDG composition of eyespot-containing dinoflagellates with secondary, peridinin-containing plastids and tertiary plastids of diatom origin to address the fundamental question of whether eyespots and their component proteins and carotenoids are associated with alterations in galactolipid composition when compared to eyespot-lacking photosynthetic dinoflagellates. This is an important question because the dinoflagellate eyespot-plastid membrane system can be considered a more complicated and evolved state of plastid development. Included in this examination are data on the previously unexamined peridinin- and type A eyespot-containing dinoflagellate Margalefidinium polykrikoides, and the type D eyespot-containing, aberrant plastid "dinotom" Durinskia baltica. In addition, we have reviewed the galactolipid composition of algae from the Chlorophyceae, Cryptophyceae, and Euglenophyceae as a comparison to determine if algal classes apart from the Dinophyceae contain altered galactolipids in association with eyespots. We conclude that the presence of an eyespot in dinoflagellates and other algae is not associated with noticeable changes in galactolipid composition.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.15 no.5
• /
• pp.1094-1099
• /
• 2005

Photosynthetic dinoflagellates contain a water-soluble, light-harvesting antenna called the peridinin-chlorophyll-protein (PCP) complex, which has an apoprotein with no sequence similarity to other known proteins. There are two forms of PCP apoproteins; the 15-kDa short form and the 32- to 35­kDa long form. The present study describes the PCP protein and its cDNA from Alexandrium tamarense. A cDNA library was constructed from mRNA isolated from A. tamarense. The complete PCP cDNA was generated by reverse-transcription coupled to polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), together with rapid-amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The A. tamarense PCP cDNA encoded a 55-amino acid signal peptide and a 313-amino acid mature protein with a calculated mass of 32 kDa, which corresponded to that of the long form of PCP. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the sequence of A. tamarense PCP did not cluster with the short-form PCPs, to which it was only about $55\%$ identical, but which were $79-83\%$ identical to other long-form PCPs. The deduced amino acid sequence of A. tamarense PCP contains an internal duplication, which suggests the possibility that long-form PCPs arose by gene duplication or by the fusion of genes encoding the short form. The abundance of PCP mRNA changed substantially in response to different light conditions, indicating the possible existence of a photo-acclimation response in A. tamarense.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.73-83
• /
• 1980

The light harvesting pigment proteins of dinoflagellates exhibit essentially 100% efficient energy transfer from carotenoid (peridinin) to chlorophyll a within the antenna pigment complexes. The high efficiency of solar energy harvesing (particularly blue light) for photosynthesis in dinoflagellates is attributable to the unique molecular topography of peridinin and chlorophyll e within the protein crevice. The mechanisms of energy transfer from carotenoids to chlorophyll in higher plants have also been discussed in comparison with the dinoflagellate antenna pigment complexes. As an example of solar energy harvesting, particularly red light, for photosynthesis in algae, the molecular topography and energy transfer in the photosynthetic accessory pigment protein, Chroomonas phycocyanin, have also been discussed.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.43-48
• /
• 2013

In this study, methanol extracts from 25 indigenous Korean corals were prepared and their carotenoid constituents were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS). Among them, extracts from nine species showed detectable peaks in the HPLC chromatogram at 450 nm and the ultraviolet/visible spectra exhibiting carotenoid-specific characteristics were chosen. The mass data of carotenoid peaks revealed that only peridinin could be identified based on literature comparison and suggested the potential presence of novel carotenoid structures. This is the first reported investigation of indigenous Korean coral carotenoids and further work is needed to explore the carotenoids and their potential roles in the ecosystem of indigenous Korean corals.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.215-225
• /
• 2004

Biomass and community composition of microphytobenthos in the Saemankeum tidal flat were studied by HPLC analysis of the photosynthetic pigments from November 2001 to November 2002. The environmental factors of sediment were also investigated to examine the relationship between microphytobenthos biomass and sedimentary environments. The detected photosynthetic pigments of microphytobenthos were chlorophyll a, b, c, fucoxanthin, 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, violaxanthin, diadinoxanthin, alloxanthin, diatoxanthin, zeaxanthin+lutein, peridinin and beta-carotene. Pheophytin a, the degradation product of chlorophyll a, was also detected. The results of pigmen analysis suggest the presence of diatom (fucoxanthin), euglenophytes (chlorophyll b), chlorophytes (chlorophyll b + lutein), cyanobacteria (zeaxanthin), cryptophytes (alloxanthin), chrysophytes (fucoxanthin + violaxanthin), prymnesiophytes (19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin) and dinoflagellates (peridinin). Chlorophyll a concentration in the top 0.5 cm of sediment was in the range of $0.24\;mg{\cdot}m\^{-2}\;-32.11\;mg{\cdot}m\^{-2}$ in the study area. The increase of chlorophyll a concentration in the spring indicates the occurrence of a microphytobenthic bloom. In the summer, there was a sharp decrease of the chlorophyll a concentration which was probably due to high grazing activity by macrobenthos. The annual mean chlorophyll a concentration in the study area was low compared to that in most of other tidal flat areas probably due to active resuspension of microphytobenthos and high grazing activity by macrobenthos. There was no clear relationship between microphytobenthos biomass and sedimentary environments because of a large variety of physical, chemical and biological factors, Pigment analysis indicated that while diatoms were dominated in the microphytobenthic community of the Geojon tidal flat, euglenophytes and/or chlorophytes coexisted with diatoms in the Mangyung River tidal flat.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.234-242
• /
• 2004

The pigment composition and concentration of phytoplankton assemblages using HPLC in the adjacent waters of four nuclear power plants (Yonggwang, Kori, Wolsong and Ulchin) were investigated during the spring blooming in 2004. The mean concentration of chlorophyll a ranged from 563.8 to 2,949.0ng $l^{-1}$, with the lowest concentration at Kori and the highest concentration at Wolsong. Among the carotenoids, the amounts of fucoxanthin and chlorophyll $C_2$ were relatively higher than those of other pigments in the study site. As minor pigments, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll b, 19'-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin, diadinoxanthin, 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, chlorophyll $C_3$ and peridinin were detected. The results of pigment composition and concentration showed that diatoms had an important proportion of phytoplankton community when a spring bloom occurred. Cyanobacteria was present relatively low density at the Wolsong and the green alga such as chlorophytes and prasinophytes were abundant at the Yonggwang and Kori, while dinoflagellates characterized by peridinin were common at Ulchin and Kori. The pigment composition and concentration of phytoplankton after passing through the cooling-water system of nuclear power plant were highly variable. No distinct trend of the change of each pigment composition and amount was detected but the variation of fucoxanthin and chlorophyll $C_2$ highly coupled with that of chlorophyll a. We pointed out that the diatom controlled the overall variation of phytoplankton biomass during the spring season.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.99-106
• /
• 2020

To investigate effect of variation in physiochemical conditions due to river discharge on phytoplankton, field surveys were conducted in the Seomjin and Yeongsan River estuaries from April to November 2016. The concentrations of DIN and DSi in Seomjin River estuary were gradually low as distance from upstream. On the other hands, the concentrations of DIN and DSi in Yeongsan River estuary were critically high at upstream, due to which is characterized as semi-enclosed eutrophic area. A total of 12 phytoplankton pigments were analyzed, and the distribution of each taxa was investigated using indicator for each phytoplankton taxa. Fucoxanthin, an indicator pigment of diatoms, showed an average of 0.61±1.00 ㎍ l^-1 and 0.76±1.22 ㎍ l^-1 in the Seomjin and Yeongsan River estuaries, respectively. Concentration of fucoxanthin was more than twice that of other pigments except chlorophyll a., indicating that diatoms were dominant taxa. Peridinin, an indicator pigment of dinoflagellate, showed some similar tendency to the microscopic observation, but mismatch results were also present, indicating a technical limitation of pigment analysis. Chlorophyll b, alloxanthin, and zeaxanthin, which are indicator pigments of green algae, cryptomonads, and cyanobacteria, were detected in both estuaries even though those taxa were not detected in microscopic observation. This indicates that the two estuaries were affected by freshwater species. Here, we can suggest that phytoplankton composition in estuary was directly influenced by the inflow from upstream. In particular, the phytoplankton population dynamics in Yeongsan River estuary was greatly associated with a large-scale artificial dyke, especially in summer rainy season. On the other hands, the seasonal and horizontal distribution of phytoplankton in Seomjin River estuary has changed along the salinity gradients and inflow-related changes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.340-354
• /
• 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of phytoplankton biomass and community composition in Jinhae Bay on the southern coast of Korea. Phytoplankton pigment analysis was conducted using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) were conducted from April to December 2019 at seven stations. Temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen (DO) and inorganic nutrients (dissolved nitrogen, dissolved phosphorus, and orthosilicic acid) were measured to investigate the environmental factors associated with the structure of phytoplankton community. Phytoplankton biomass (Chl-a) was the highest in July (mean 15.4±4.3 ㎍/L) and the lowest in December (mean 3.5±0.6 ㎍/L). Fucoxanthin was the most abundant carotenoid and showed a similar variation pattern to Chl-a, peridinin, and Chl-b. Phytoplankton community composition analysis showed that diatoms were a predominant group with an average abundance of 70 % whereas chlorophytes, cryptophytes, and dinoflagellates often appeared with lower averages. Further, the dominance of diatoms was closely correlated with water temperature and N:P ratio, which might be influenced by high temperatures in the summer and nutrient loading from the land. Additionally, freshwater and nutrient input by rainfall was estimated to be the most important environmental factor. Hence, the spatial and temporal variations in the composition of phytoplankton pigments and phytoplankton community were correlated with physicochemical and environmental parameters.