Abstract. Circadian oscillators are known to regulate the timing of cell division in many organisms. In the case of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, however, this conclusion has been challenged by several investigators. We have reexamined this issue and find that the division behavior of Chlamydomonas meets all the criteria for circadian rhythmicity: persistence of a cell division rhythm (a) with a period of ~ 24 h under free-running conditions, (b) that is temperature compensated, and (c) which can entrain to light/dark signals. In addition, a mutation that lengthens the circadian period of the phototactic rhythm similarly affects the cell division rhythm. We conclude that a circadian mechanism determines the timing of cell division in Ch/amydomonas reinhardtii.

Eukaryotic microorganisms, as well as higher animals and plants, display many autonomous physiological and biochemical rhythmicities having periods approximating 24 hours. In an attempt to determine the nature of the timing mechanisms that are responsible for these circadian periodicities, two primary operational assumptions were postulated. Both the perturbation of a putative element of a circadian clock within its normal oscillatory range and the direct activation as well as the inhibition of such an element should yield a phase shift of an overt rhythm generated by the underlying oscillator. Results of experiments conducted in the flagellate Euglena suggest that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), the mitochondrial Ca2+-transport system, Ca2+, calmodulin, NAD+ kinase, and NADP+ phosphatase represent clock "gears" that, in ensemble, might constitute a self-sustained circadian oscillating loop in this and other organisms.

Shade tolerance is a key adaptive strategy displayed by heliophytic photosynthetic organisms in response to limited light. Although generalized morphological and physiological traits associated with shade tolerance exist, the interest in shade tolerance has been expanding over the past few years due primarily to the controversies that have emerged on classical hypotheses of shade tolerance. In this paper the shade responses of unicellular excavate Euglena gracilis is discussed. Euglena was photoautotrophically grown under three different light intensities; 28, 84 and 210 μmol m -2 s -1 . Results revealed that E. gracilis is a shade tolerant species which exhibits some typical shade tolerant responses such as decrease in growth rate, light saturation point, light compensation point and dark respiration rate, and increased chlorophyll content. Most importantly, it is reported for the first time that the shade tolerance of this organism is also characterized by the increased chlorophyll a:b ratio, contradicting the generally accepted hypothesis of decreased chlorophyll a:b in shade tolerance response. The probable reasons for increased chlorophyll a:b ratio in E. gracilis under shade are also discussed.

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