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Changes in ATP Concentration, Mitochondrial Structures, and Rhodamine 123 Binding in Two Marine Dinoflagellates Cultured in the Presence of Parathion
Author(s) -
PREVOT PAUL,
SOYERGOBILLARD MARIEODILE
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of eukaryotic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 1066-5234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1994.tb05935.x
Subject(s) - biology , mitochondrion , intracellular , rhodamine 123 , biochemistry , biophysics , multiple drug resistance , antibiotics
Parathion, an organophosphorus insecticide, is highly toxic to the two free‐living marine dinoflagellates Prorocentrum micans Ehrenberg (autotrophic) and Crypthecodinium cohnii Biechler (heterotrophic). To study its non‐antiacetylcholinesterase action we assessed its effect on the mitochondrial system, as shown by changes in intracellular ATP concentration and in rhodamine 123 fluorescence evaluated by image analysis. The technique of image analysis permits direct assessment of changes in the overall activity of mitochondria in living cells. Mitochondrial structures were also examined in the electron microscope. The three methods of investigation yielded complementary results. In P. micans , parathion noticeably altered mitochondria but did not significantly alter ATP concentrations. In C. cohnii , however, mitochondrial disturbance was slight, whereas ATP increased greatly. We think, therefore, that parathion has different effects on mitochondria in the two organisms, and in particular that it increases mitochondrial activity in C. cohnii .