Effects of Mineral Salts on Short-Term Incorporation of CarbonDioxide in Chlorella

Although the functions of the essential major elements in plant metabolism have been studied for many years, little work has been done concerning the effect of these elements during short-term incorporation of radioactive carbon dioxide. This may be of some importance as it has been the general custom during photosynthesis studies in this laboratory to suspend algae in various dilute buffer solutions or in distilled water alone assuming that the salt remaining within the cells from the time of growth in nutrient solution are sufficient in quantity for the cells not to become deficient in one or more of the essential elements during the course of the experiment. There are some indications, however, that the addition of salts to algae suspended in distilled water may have a rapid, pronounced effect on some metabolic system within the plant. Thus, Clendenning, Brown and Eyster (1956) have reported that Nostoc muscorum, if rinsed and resuspended in distilled water, loses most of its photosynthetic capacity, which can, however, be completely restored by the addition of potassium ion in concentrations no greater than a few parts per million. Also, K. Baalorud (personal communication) found that the photosynthetic rate of a marine diatom, when suspended in synthetic magnesium-free water, can be greatly increased by the addition of magnesium salts. In view of these observations it appeared worthwhile to investigate the effects of the addition of the essential elements in those photosynthesis experiments in which the cells are kept in distilled water for varying periods of time