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FUNCTIONAL ASPECTS OF SECONDARY CAROTENOIDS IN HAEMATOCOCCUS LACUSTRIS (VOLVOCALES). III. ACTION AS A “SUNSHADE” 1
Author(s) -
Hagen Christoph,
Braune Wolfram,
Björn Lars Olof
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.0022-3646.1994.00241.x
Subject(s) - carotenoid , biology , photoinhibition , chloroplast , botany , chlorophyll , chlorophyll a , photosynthesis , fluorescence , biochemistry , photosystem ii , physics , quantum mechanics , gene
We investigated the protection from photoinhibition by different developmental stages of Haematococcus lacustris [Girod] Rostafinski using chlorophyll fluorescence measurements of single cells and suspensions. An overall correlation between higher cellular content of secondary carotenoids and the capacity to withstand excessive irradiation was observed in flagellated cells and aplanospores of H. lacustris. Low‐light‐reversible spreading of extra‐chloroplastic secondary carotenoids occurred in the periphery of the cell during strong irradiation. This process resulted in increased shading of the cup‐shaped chloroplast as demonstrated by a decrease in chlorophyll fluorescence. Extrachloroplastic accumulation of secondary carotenoids in H. lacustris can be interpreted as a specific adaptation to habitats that exhibit strong insolation.