• KSBB Journal
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.172-176
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• 2012

In this study, microalgae Arthrospira platensis (A. platensis) mutants induced by ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) and further selection for resistance of cerulenin, a potent inhibitor of fatty acid synthase, were characterized. The mutants selected by $2{\mu}M$, $5{\mu}M$ and $10{\mu}M$ of cerulenin were designated EC2, EC5 and EC10, respectively. Under normal growth conditions, the mutants and parental strain exhibited similar growth pattern. The mutants of A. platensis showed enhanced lipid accumulation and phycobiliproteins (phycoerythrin, phycocyanin). The lipid content of mutants EC2 and EC5 was about 4.4 and 4.8-fold higher than wild type. The phycoerythrin and phycocyanin content of mutants EC2 and EC5 was increased about 1.5 and 6.9-fold and 1.4 and 3.8-fold, respectively, compared to the wild type. The chlorophyll and carotenoid content of mutants was slightly increased. The high lipid and pigment contents exhibited by A. platensis mutants would make an excellent candidate for the production of commercially interesting biologically active compounds.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.644-648
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• 2007

Exposure of algae or plants to irradiance from above the light saturation point of photosynthesis is known as high light stress. This high light stress induces various responses including photoinhibition of the photosynthetic apparatus. The degree of photoinhibition could be clearly determined by measuring the parameters such as absorption and fluorescence of chromoproteins. In cyanobacteria and red algae, most of the photosystem (PS) II associated light harvesting is performed by a membrane attached complex called the phycobilisome (PBS). The effects of high intensity light (1000-4000 ${\mu}mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$) on excitation energy transfer from PBSs to PS II in a cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis were studied by measuring room temperature PC fluorescence emission spectra. High light (3000 ${\mu}mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$) stress had a significant effect on PC fluorescence emission spectra. On the other hand, light stress induced an increase in the ratio of PC fluorescence intensity of PBS indicating that light stress inhibits excitation energy transfer from PBS to PS II. The high light treatment to 3000 ${\mu}mol$ photons $m^{-2}s^{-1}$ caused disappearance of 31.5 kDa linker polypeptide which is known to link PC discs together. In addition we observed the similar decrease in the other polypeptide contents. Our data concludes that the Spirulina cells upon light treatment causes alterations in the phycobiliproteins (PBPs) and affects the energy transfer process within the PBSs.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.87-99
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• 1991

Changes of phycobiliproteins(PBP) quantity and ferredoxin-NADP reductase(FNR) activity were investigated in various light illuminated cyanobacteria, Anabaena variabilis. PBP components were increased under blue light illumination, whereas decreased under red light illumination. PBP contents were twofolds in blue light than in red light. In view of the PBP composition, allophycocyanin(APC) in red light was higher 5.5% and phycoerythrocyanin(PEC) in blue light was higher 2.2% than in white light-illuminated PBP. It was suggested that PBP changes in bule light be the results of regulation of photosysthetic efficiency and protection of photosystem, whereas PBP changes in red light be effected by adaptation of adequate harvesting of light energy in photosystem. Changes of FNR activity were highest in red light, and sequenced lower to blue light and green light. It means that light-dependent production rate of NADP is the highest in red light. The difference of values was larger than that of values in comparison of red and blue light. It was suggested that increasing of FNR activity be due not to the function of isozyme, but to the synthesis of enzymes. Because of NAD/NADP regulation-effect to metabolism, it was considered that FNR activity might influence the metabolism indirectly and explain the probability of regulation in pathways of key enzyme activation. FNR activity was directly proportional to intensity of light. Optimum temperature and pH were about 25℃ and 7.5, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.397-404
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• 1991

The steady state and decay characteristics of primary fluorescenece of phytoplanktons including Cyanophyceae and Cryptophyceae were investigated in vivo. At 580-640 nm region, fluorescence emission spectra were obtained from all algae examined. The observed fluorescence emission maxima were similiar$(\pm3\;nm)$ except Synechocorcus sp. (SYN). Considered $\lambda_{max}$ of emission spectra of phycobiliproteins and the excitation spectra with $\lambda_{max}=540-560nm$, it seems to be originated from biliproteins. Fluorescence lifetimes $(\tau)$ and decay curves were compared with standard solution of candidate organic compounds, b-phycoerythrin. The $\tau$ values obtained for phytoplankton with $\lambda_{max}=580nm$ were different depending upon the species of algae. The observed $\tau$ values were ranged from 1.39 ns to 1.95 ns. These are considerably shorter than $\tau(3.23\;us)$ for standard solution of b-phycoerythrin. The reduction of $\tau$ for phycoerythrin in vivo seems to be originated from effective energy transfer system between Chl. a and phycobiliprotein in intact cell. There are subtantial differences in fluorsecence spectra and lifetimes at the class level. At the species level, differences seems to be much smaller. The result of experiment suggests that measurement of fluorescence lifetimes may be helpful in the rapid characterization of algae. Direct application will likely be found in combination with the measurement of other luminescence parameters.