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SELENIUM: AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT FOR GROWTH OF THE COASTAL MARINE DIATOM THALASSIOSIRA PSEUDONANA (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) 1, 2
Author(s) -
Price Neil M.,
Thompson Peter A.,
Harrison Paul J.
Publication year - 1987
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.1529-8817.1987.tb04421.x
Subject(s) - thalassiosira pseudonana , selenium , biology , seawater , artificial seawater , diatom , growth rate , nutrient , botany , salinity , environmental chemistry , zoology , phytoplankton , ecology , chemistry , geometry , mathematics , organic chemistry
An obligate requirement for selenium is demonstrated in axenic culture of the coastal marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana (clone 3H) (Hust.) Hasle and Heimdal grown in artificial seawater medium. Selenium deficiency was characterized by a reduction in growth rate and eventually by a cessation of cell division. The addition of 10 −10 M Na 2 eO 3 to nutrient enriched artifical seawater resulted in excellent growth of T. pseudonana and only a slight inhibition of growth occurred at Na 2 SeO 3 concentrations of 10 −3 and 10 ‐2 M. By contrast, Na 2 SeO 4 failed to support growth of T. pseudonana when supplied at concentrations less than 10 −7 M and the growth rate at this concentration was only one quarter of the maximum growth rate. The addition of 10 −3 and 10 −2 M Na 2 SeO 4 to the culture medium was toxic and cell growth was completely inhibited. Eleven trace elements were tested for their ability to replace the selenium requirement by this alga and all were without effect. In selenium‐deficient and selenium‐starved cultures of T. pseudonana cell volume increased as much as 10‐fold as a result of an increase in cell length (along the pervalvar axis) but cell width was constant. It is concluded that selenium is an indispensable element for the growth of T. pseudonana and it should be included as a nutrient enrichment to artificial seawater medium when culturing this alga.