Fatty Acids in Blue-Green Algae: Possible Relation to Phylogenetic Position

Holton, Raymond W.; Blecker, Harry H.; Stevens, Tim

doi:10.1126/science.160.3827.545

Cited by 77 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Holton et al (1964Holton et al ( , 1968 and Parker et al (1967) analysed a strain of Anacystis, a unicellular cyanobacteria of subsection I, and found an absence of polyunsaturated fatty acids ; this observation was confirmed and extended by Kenyon (1972) and others (Kenyon & Stanier, 1970 ;Kenyon et al, 1972 ;Scheuerbrandt & Bloch, 1962 ;Stanier et al, 1971). The composition of filamentous strains of most genera of subsection III have been studied (Ahlgren et al, 1992 ;Cohen et al, 1993 ;Hudson & Karis, 1974 ;Tedesco & Duerr, 1989) as well as some from subsection IV (Ahlgren et al, 1992 ;Caudales & Wells, 1992 ;Caudales et al, 1995 ;Hudson & Karis, 1974 ;Sallal et al, 1990 ;Sandmann & Boger, 1992 ;Sato & Murata, 1981) and subsection V (Kenyon & Stanier, 1970 ;Kenyon, 1972 ;Kenyon et al, 1972).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 52%

Cellular fatty acid composition of cyanobacteria assigned to subsection II, order Pleurocapsales.

Caudales¹,

Wells²,

Butterfield³

2000

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology

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The cellular fatty acid composition of five of the six genera of unicellular cyanobacteria in subsection II, Pleurocapsales (Dermocarpa, Xenococcus, Dermocarpella, Myxosarcina and the Pleurocapsa assemblage) contained high proportions of saturated straight-chain fatty acids (26-41 % of the total) and unsaturated straight chains (40-67 %). Isomers of 16 :1 were the main monounsaturated acid component (11-59 %). Polyunsaturated acids were present at trace levels (01 % or less) in Xenococcus and Myxosarcina, at concentrations of less than 7 % in Dermocarpa, Dermocarpella, Pleurocapsa and CCMP 1489, and at high concentrations (35 % or more) in Chroococcidiopsis. Chroococcidiopsis was also different in terms of the percentage of 16 :1 isomers (10-12 %) compared to other genera (30-59 %), and in terms of total 16-carbon and 18-carbon fatty acids. In general, the composition and heterogeneity of fatty acids in the order Pleurocapsales was similar to that reported for the unicellular cyanobacteria of subsection I, order Chroococcales.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 52%

Cellular fatty acid composition of cyanobacteria assigned to subsection II, order Pleurocapsales.

Caudales¹,

Wells²,

Butterfield³

2000

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology

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“…Cyanidium lipids contain polyunsaturated acids, as is typical of eucaryotic algae and some blue-green algae, but not the unicellular blue-green algae (12). However, the percentage of unsaturated acids and degree of unsaturation are lower than is common in higher plants (17).…”

Section: Materlils and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, while a-linolenic acid is found in all photosynthetic higher algae and green plants, it is by no means present in all blue-green algae and is absent completely from photosynthetic bacteria (12). While the only lipid common to the photosynthetic bacteria is phosphatidyl glycerol, algae and green plants all contain monogalactosyl diglyceride, digalactosyl diglyceride, and sulfoquinovosyl diglyceride (plant sulfolipid) as well.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Lipid Composition of Cyanidium

Allen

Good²,

Holton³

1970

Plant Physiol.

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The major lipids in Cyanidium caldarium Geitler are inonogalactosyl diglyceride, digalactosyl diglyceride, plant sulfolipid, lecithin, phosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidyl inositol, and phosphatidyl ethanolamine. Fatty acid composition varies appreciably among the lipids, but the major ones are palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and moderate amounts of stearic acid. Trace amounts of other acids in the C14 to C20 range were also present. Moderate amounts of linolenic acid were found in two strains, but not in a third. The proportion of saturated acid is relatively high in all lipids ranging from about a third in monogalactosyl diglyceride to three-fourths in sulfolipid. This may be a result of the high growth temperature. Lipases forming lysosulfolipid, and lysophosphatidyl glycerol are active in ruptured cells; galactolipid is degraded with loss of both acyl residues. Thus the lipid and fatty acid composition of Cyanidium more closely resembles that of green algae than that of the blue-green algae, although there are differences of possible phylogenetic interest.Cyanidiwn caldarium is a monotypic genus with several characteristics of a blue-green alga but others typical of the higher algae. Its various attributes and peculiarities have recently been reviewed (14) and can be briefly summarized as follows: cytologically, it possesses mitochondria, a single chloroplast, and a nucleus with enclosing membrane in which chromosomes have not been visualized; biochemically, it contains chlorophyll a as its sole chlorophyll and contains C-phycocyanin and allophycocyanin, 3-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin although it lacks the myxoxanthophyll found in many blue-green algae. Its aldolase resembles that of Chlorella (18). This mosaic of characteristics defies a convenient classification of Cyanidium into the blue-green, red, green, or cryptophycean groups of algae, into each of which it has at one time been placed. Physiologically, it is most interesting in that it is both acidophilic and thermophilic with growth occurring at temperatures as high as 60 C (6) and at acidities of pH 2.0 (10).Knowledge of the lipid and fatty acid composition of green plants, and particularly microorganisms, has been of considerable use in considering the phylogeny and interrelationships in these organisms. Thus, while a-linolenic acid is found in all photosynthetic higher algae and green plants, it is by no means present in all blue-green algae and is absent completely from photosynthetic bacteria (12). While the only lipid common to the photosynthetic bacteria is phosphatidyl glycerol, algae and green plants all contain monogalactosyl diglyceride, digalactosyl diglyceride, and sulfoquinovosyl diglyceride (plant sulfolipid) as well. The bluegreen algae do not contain phosphatidyl choline (lecithin) which is characteristic of higher algae. The object of these experiments was to ascertain the lipid and fatty acid composition of Cyanidium with hope that these data might enable us to understand better its relationshlp to other algae....

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“…Most studies of cyanobacterial chemotaxonomy have focused on primary metabolites and include studies of cellular fatty acid composition (12,20,22), carotenoids (17,67), and aromatic amino acid biochemical pathways (13). Recent investigations have examined variation in secondary-metabolite production, using DNA sequences to differentiate between toxin-producing and nontoxic strains of Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, and Microcystis (2,11,21,33).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological, Chemical, and Genetic Diversity of Tropical Marine Cyanobacteria Lyngbya spp. and Symploca spp. ( Oscillatoriales )

Thacker

Paul

2004

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Although diverse natural products have been isolated from the benthic, filamentous cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula, it is unclear whether this chemical variation can be used to establish taxonomic relationships among disparate collections. We compared morphological characteristics, secondary-metabolite compositions, and partial 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences among several collections of L. majuscula Gomont, Lyngbya spp., and Symploca spp. from Guam and the Republic of Palau. The morphological characteristics examined were cell length, cell width, and the presence or absence of a calyptra. Secondary metabolites were analyzed by twodimensional thin-layer chromatography. Each collection possessed a distinct cellular morphology that readily distinguished Lyngbya spp. from Symploca spp. Each collection yielded a unique chemotype, but common chemical characteristics were shared among four collections of L. majuscula. A phylogeny based on secondarymetabolite composition supported the reciprocal monophyly of Lyngbya and Symploca but yielded a basal polytomy for Lyngbya. Pairwise sequence divergence among species ranged from 10 to 14% across 605 bp of 16S rDNA, while collections of L. majuscula showed 0 to 1.3% divergence. Although the phylogeny of 16S rDNA sequences strongly supported the reciprocal monophyly of Lyngbya and Symploca as well as the monophyly of Lyngbya bouillonii and L. majuscula, genetic divergence was not correlated with chemical and morphological differences. These data suggest that 16S rDNA sequence analyses do not predict chemical variability among Lyngbya species. Other mechanisms, including higher rates of evolution for biosynthetic genes, horizontal gene transfer, and interactions between different genotypes and environmental conditions, may play important roles in generating qualitative and quantitative chemical variation within and among Lyngbya species.The benthic, filamentous cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula Gomont is distributed throughout the tropics in reef and lagoonal habitats (18,61,62), often forming dense mats that carpet benthic substrates. L. majuscula can compete with macroalgae (59) and is unpalatable to fish, crabs, urchins, and other macroherbivores (43,50,57). However, specialized mesoherbivores, such as the sea hare Stylocheilus striatus, may preferentially consume L. majuscula (8,41,51). Secondary metabolites produced by L. majuscula are responsible for both the deterrence of feeding by macroherbivores and the stimulation of feeding by mesoherbivores (41,51,57).Over 100 novel secondary metabolites have been isolated from collections of L. majuscula. Although these collections have been globally distributed, there is little evidence that any given types of secondary metabolites are associated with specific geographic regions (10). Indeed, collections within limited geographic areas are often extremely diverse. On Guam, L. majuscula collections have yielded indanone metabolites (45), lyngbyastatins (16,27,64), malyngamides (4, 5, 38), malyngolide (7), majusculamides (35), ...

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Fatty Acids in Blue-Green Algae: Possible Relation to Phylogenetic Position

Cited by 77 publications

References 23 publications

Cellular fatty acid composition of cyanobacteria assigned to subsection II, order Pleurocapsales.

Cellular fatty acid composition of cyanobacteria assigned to subsection II, order Pleurocapsales.

Lipid Composition of Cyanidium

Morphological, Chemical, and Genetic Diversity of Tropical Marine Cyanobacteria Lyngbya spp. and Symploca spp. ( Oscillatoriales )

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