CHLOROPLAST PIGMENT PATTERNS IN DINOFLAGELLATES¹

Abstract

SUMMARY The chlorophylls and carotenoids of 22 species of dinoflagellates were analysed by thin layer chromatography, using 2‐dimensional sucrose plates, and 1‐dimensional polyethylene plates for chlorophylls c1 and c2. Peridinin was the major carotenoid in 19 of the species, while fucoxanthin was the major carotenoid in 3. In the peridinin‐containing species, 5 carotenoid fractions, constituting more than 95% of the total carotenoids, were always present. These were peridinin (± neo‐peridinin), averaging 64% of the total carotenoid, diadinoxanthin, dinoxanthin, β‐carotene and a polar, unidentified pink xanthophyll. Six other carotenoid fractions occurred in minor or trace quantities among the species, but were not identified. Two of these had, a wide distribution; the other 4 were restricted to one or 2 species. The chlorophyll content of the dinoflagellate cultures ranged from 1–141 μg chlorophyll a + c/106 cells, a pattern which was broadly correlated with cell size. In the peridinin‐containing species the ratio of chlorophyll a to c on a molar basis was approximately 2 (range 1.60–4.39); in the fucoxanthin‐containing species this ratio was approximately 4 (range 2.65–5.73). Both chlorophylls c1 and c2 occurred in the fucoxanthin‐containing dinoflagellates, and only chlorophyll c2 (one exception) occurred in the peridinin‐containing dinoflagellates. These patterns of chlorophyll c and major carotenoid correspond to patterns previously observed in the Pyrrhophyta and the Chrysophyta, suggesting different phylogenetic origins for the “dinoflagellate” chloroplasts.

Occurrence of UVA- and UVB-absorbing compounds in 152 species (206 strains) of marine microalgae

“…Arnphidinium carterae). The 2 endosymbiont-containing species-Peridinium balticum and Kiyptopendinium foliaceum-also had low ratios, possibly reflecting the presence of their 1973, Jeffrey et al 1975, Jeffrey & Vesk 1976. Other dinoflagellates, such as the surface bloom-forming species Gymnodinium catenatum, were rich in UVabsorbing compounds, with ratios of up to 4.0 at 319.7 nm, 4.6 at 345 nm and 6.75 at 370 nm (CS-309/1, GCPTOI).…”

Patterns of major photosynthetic pigments in freshwater algae. 2. Dinophyta, Euglenophyta, Chlorophyceae and Charales

“…The occurrence of fucoxanthin strictly correlates with the presence of chl-c 1 and chl-c 2 (Jeffrey et al 1975, Jeffrey 1976. According to ultrastructural results, so far, all of these Dinophyceae were found to have two cellular nuclei, exhibiting an eukaryon in addition to the typical dinokaryon (Dodge 1971, Thomas & Cox 1973.…”

“…and Peridiniopsis borgei contain chls-a and -c, most likely chl-c 2 as -with the exeption of Exuviella cassubica -this is the only type of chl-c encountered so far in all dinophyceae exhibiting the allenic norcarotenoid peridinin (Jeffrey et al 1975, Jeffrey 1976. Peridinin is the main carotenoid in all investigated species and it is also the principal component of the LHC II , Prezelin 1976, Prezelin and Haxo 1976, Wilhelm 1990.…”

“…In a few marine dinophyceae, fucoxanthin replaces peridinin as the main carotenoid component (Mandelli 1968, Thomas & Cox 1973, Jeffrey et al 1975. The occurrence of fucoxanthin strictly correlates with the presence of chl-c 1 and chl-c 2 (Jeffrey et al 1975, Jeffrey 1976.…”

“…According to ultrastructural results, so far, all of these Dinophyceae were found to have two cellular nuclei, exhibiting an eukaryon in addition to the typical dinokaryon (Dodge 1971, Thomas & Cox 1973. Plastides and eukaryon are supposed to originate from the heterokontophyta (Jeffrey et al 1975, van den Hoek et al 1993. In Gyrodinium sp., Bjornland & Tangen (1979) discovered a previousely unknown main xanthophyll, which differs from peridinin as well as from fucoxanthin.…”