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PubMed1969

Metabolism of urea by Chlorella vulgaris.

Urea metabolism was studied with nitrogen-starved cells of Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck var. viridis (Chodat), a green alga which apparently lacks urease. Incorporation of radioactivity from urea-(14)C into the alcohol-soluble fraction was virtually eliminated in cell suspensions flushed with 10% CO(2) in air. This same result was obtained when expected acceptors of urea carbon were replenished by adding ornithine and glucose with the urea. Several carbamyl compounds, which might be early products of urea metabolism and a source of the (14)CO(2), were not appreciably labeled. If cells were treated with cyanide at a concentration which inhibited ammonia uptake completely and urea uptake only slightly, more than half of the urea nitrogen taken up was found in the medium as ammonia. Cells under nitrogen gas in the dark were unable to take up urea or ammonia, but the normal rate of uptake was resumed in light. Since 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea did not selectively inhibit this uptake, an active respiration supported by light-dependent oxygen evolution in these cells was ruled out. A tentative scheme for urea metabolism is proposed to consist of an initial energy-dependent splitting of urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia. This reaction in Chlorella is thought to differ from a typical urease-catalyzed reaction by the apparent requirement of a high energy compound, possibly adenosine triphosphate.

Carbon Dioxide↗
PubMed1970

The biosynthesis of delta-aminolevulinic acid in Chlorella.

When autotrophically growing cultures of Chlorella are treated with levulinic acid, delta-aminolevulinic acid is excreted into the medium, providing a direct demonstration of alpha-aminolevulinic acid production in a green plant. Evidence is presented which indicates that alpha-aminolevulinic acid formation may be the the rate-controlling step of chlorophyll synthesis in Chlorella, and that control of the rate of alpha-aminolevulinic acid synthesis may be exerted at the level of production and breakdown of an enzyme which catalyzes its formation.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1970

Glutamic acid decarboxylation in Chlorella.

The decarboxylation of endogenous free glutamic acid by Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Marburg strain, was induced by a variety of metabolic poisons, by anaerobic conditions, and by freezing and thawing the cells. The rate of decarboxylation was proportional to the concentration of inhibitor present. Possible mechanisms which relate the effects of the various conditions on glutamate decarboxylation and oxygen consumption by Chlorella are discussed.

Chlorophyta↗
PubMed1971

Studies of sulfate utilization by algae: 10. Nutritional and enzymatic characterization of chlorella mutants impaired for sulfate utilization.

Seven mutants of Chlorella pyrenoidosa (Emerson strain 3) impaired for sulfate utilization have been isolated after treatment of the wild-type organism with nitrosoguanidine by replica plating on media containing thiosulfate and l-methionine. These mutants fall into three classes based on their ability to grow on sulfate, accumulate compounds labeled from sulfate-(35)S, and reduce adenosine 3'-phosphate 5'-phosphosulfate-(35)S (PAPS-(35)S) to thiosulfate-(35)S. Mutant Sat(2) (-) cannot grow on sulfate, but it accumulates thiosulfate-(35)S and homocysteic acid-(35)S from sulfate-(35)S in vivo. In addition, extracts of mutant Sat(2) (-) reduce PAPS-(35)S to thiosulfate-(35)S, indicating the possession of enzyme fractions S and A, both of which are required for thiosulfate formation. Mutants Sat(1) (-), Sat(3) (-), Sat(4) (-), Sat(5) (-), and Sat(6) (-) cannot grow on sulfate, and their extracts lack the ability to reduce PAPS-(35)S to thiosulfate-(35)S. Mutant Sat(7) (-)R(1), a probable revertant, can grow on sulfate but still lacks the ability to reduce PAPS-(35)S to thiosulfate-(35)S in vitro. Complementation experiments in vitro show that the block in formation of acid-volatile radioactivity in every case is due to the absence of activity associated with fraction S. All mutants can grow on thiosulfate and all possess the activating enzymes which convert sulfate to PAPS. Through a comparison of nutritional and enzymatic characteristics, the first outlines of a branched and complicated pathway for sulfate reduction in Chlorella are beginning to emerge.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1971

Role of molybdenum in nitrate reduction by chlorella.

Molybdenum is absolutely required for the nitrate-reducing activity of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide nitrate reductase complex isolated from Chlorella fusca. The whole enzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide nitrate reductase is formed by cells grown in the absence of added molybdate, but only its first activity (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide diaphorase) is functional. The second activity of the complex, which subsequently participates also in the enzymatic transfer of electrons from nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide to nitrate (FNH(2)-nitrate reductase), depends on the presence of molybdenum. Neither molybdate nor nitrate is required for nitrate reductase synthesis de novo, but ammonia acts as a nutritional repressor of the complete enzyme complex. Under conditions which exclude de novo synthesis of nitrate reductase, the addition of molybdate to molybdenum-deficient cells clearly increases the activity level of this enzyme, thus suggesting in vivo incorporation of the trace metal into the pre-existing inactive apoenzyme.Competition studies with tungstate corroborate these conclusions and indicate that the only role played by molybdenum in Chlorella is connected with the reduction of nitrate to nitrite. Tungsten seems to act by replacing molybdenum in the nitrate reductase complex, thus rendering inactive the FNH(2)-nitrate reductase portion of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide nitrate reductase complex.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1972

Terminal Oxidases of Chlorella pyrenoidosa.

In studies of the kinetics of oxygen uptake by glucose-stimulated Chlorella pyrenoidosa, two terminal oxidases could be distinguished. The cytochrome oxidase of Chlorella has a Km (O(2)) of 2.1 +/- 0.3 mum, while the second oxidase has a Km (O(2)) of 6.7 +/- 0.5 mum, and a maximum capacity about one-quarter of that of the cytochrome system. The identity of the second oxidase is unknown, but it is not inhibited by carbon monoxide, 1 mm cyanide, 0.1 mm thiocyanate, or 1 mm 8-hydroxyquinoline. In fresh cultures, the second oxidase accounts for at most 35% of the total oxygen uptake.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1972

Serological Characterization of the Glycolate-oxidizing Enzymes from Tobacco, Euglena gracilis, and a Yellow Mutant of Chlorella vulgaris.

An antiserum to tobacco glycolate oxidase has been prepared by injection of the purified enzyme into rabbits. Double gel diffusion tests between the antiserum and purified antigen and also with a crude tobacco preparation gave a single immunoprecipitation band. Crude extracts of Euglena gracilis Z Klebs, containing glycolate dehydrogenase, and of Chlorella vulgaris 211-11h/20, containing glycolate oxidase, also formed single bands with the tobacco antiserum. The algal bands were identical and showed partial identity with the tobacco band. The antiserum inhibited the glycolate oxidase activities of the tobacco and Chlorella extracts but did not affect Euglena glycolate dehydrogenase activity.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1974

The Respiratory Chain of Chlorella protothecoides: II. Isolation and Characterization of Mitochondria.

Mitochondria were isolated from glucose-bleached Chlorella protothecoides Krüger, Indiana strain 25. These mitochondria oxidized succinate, NADH, and l-malate at high rates. Oxygen uptake with these substrates was partially inhibited by 1 mmm-chlorobenzhydroxamic acid (mCLAM). Respiratory control was seen with succinate as substrate in the presence of mCLAM. The apparent Km for succinate was determined to be 0.83 mm. Chlorella mitochondria catalyzed the oxidation of reduced horse heart cytochrome c.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1975

Ozone-induced Loss of Intracellular Potassium Ion from Chlorella sorokiniana.

The unicellular algae Chlorella sorokiniana was used as a model system to investigate the interaction of ozone with plant cell membranes. Ozone induces K(+) leakage from Chlorella sorokiniana similar to the electrolytic loss observed from many higher plants under stressful conditions. The kinetics of this leakage indicate that ozone initially interacts reversibly (within sec) with sites on membranes allowing a passive efflux of K(+). This efflux ceases within minutes after the ozone stress is removed. This return to normal efflux is very temperature dependent. High intracellular osmolarity seems to be an important criterion of susceptibility to ozone injury in this model system, since rates of ozone-induced K(+) leakage are less when the external osmotic potential is decreased by suspension of the cells in mannitol. Cell interaction with ozone is further complicated by a saturating-type dependence of the K(+) efflux upon ozone concentration within the medium.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1979

A Constitutive Enzyme System for Glucose Transport by Chlorella sorokiniana.

It was found that the transport system for glucose (as measured by deoxyglucose uptake) in the high temperature strain of Chlorella (strain 07-11-05 or C. sorokiniana) was constitutive and the rate of uptake did not increase upon incubation of autotrophically grown cells with either deoxyglucose or glucose. The uptake obeyed Michaelis-Menten type kinetics with a concentration of 200 micromolar for half-saturation. The maximum rate of uptake was nearly 10 times faster per cell (at 38 C) than that reported for any other Chlorella. This rapid accumulation of deoxyglucose causes the passive efflux to become significant compared to the pump-driven influx and nonlinear uptake appears even after only 3 to 4 minutes.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1980

Action of Corn and Rice-inactivating Proteins on a Purified Nitrate Reductase from Chlorella vulgaris.

When nitrate reductase (NR) purified from Chlorella was incubated with NR-inactivating proteins purified from corn roots and rice cell suspension cultures or with trypsin there was a loss in NADH-NR and NADH cytochrome c reductase (NADH-CR) activities with time whereas the reduced methylviologen NR (MV-NR) remained active. When NADH-NR and NADH-CR activities were inactivated completely by the incubation with corn protein, the major protein band obtained by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shifted from an R(F) value of 0.12 to an R(F) of 0.25 and reduced MV-NR activity moved to the new position on the gel. When NADH-NR and NADH-CR activities were partially inactivated by the corn protein, NADH-NR activity was detected in an intermediate position (R(F) value of 0.18). Incubation with trypsin also caused a change in the NR protein migration pattern (R(F) value of 0.20). This protein band also had reduced MV-NR activity. Thus, the corn inactivator degrades NR in a fashion similar to but not identical with trypsin. The incubation of NR with rice inactivating protein resulted in a loss of NADH-NR but had no effect on the migration of NR protein or on the reduced MV-NR activity or mobility suggesting that the rice protein binds to Chlorella NR.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1981

Transition of Lipid Synthesis from Chloroplasts to a Cytoplasmic System during Hardening in Chlorella ellipsoidea.

Chlorella ellipsoidea Gerneck (IAM C-27) was synchronously grown and cells at an intermediate stage in the ripening phase of the cell cycle were hardened at 3 C for 48 hours. At various times of hardening, the cells were pulse-labeled for 4 minutes with [(14)C]NaHCO(3) in the light or with [(14)C]glucose in the dark, and the incorporation rate of (14)C into total lipids was determined. A high incorporation rate of [(14)C]NaHCO(3) at zero time of hardening decreased after 6 hours. In the next 15 hours, a distinct increase was noted. This increase occurred prior to the development of frost hardiness. Cycloheximide completely inhibited both the increase and the development, and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea remarkably lowered the high incorporation rate at zero time. The incorporation rate of [(14)C]glucose increased along with hardiness in the dark. These results suggest that the major site of lipid synthesis shifts from chloroplasts to a cytoplasmic system during hardening of Chlorella.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1984

Formation of Elemental Sulfur by Chlorella fusca during Growth on l-Cysteine Ethylester.

During growth on l-cysteine ethylester, Chlorella fusca (211-8b) accumulated a substance which contained bound sulfide, which could be liberated by reduction with dithioerythritol (DTE) as inorganic sulfide. This substance was extracted with hot methanol and purified by thin layer chromatography. This substance liberated free sulfide when incubated with mono- and dithiols, and thiocyanate was formed after heating with KCN. The isolated substance cochromatographed with authentic sulfur flower using different solvent systems for thin layer chromatography, high pressure liquid chromatography, and the identical spectrum with a relative lambda(max) at 263 nm was found. The chemical structure was confirmed by mass spectrometry showing a molecular weight of 256 m/e for the S(8) configuration. No labeled elemental sulfur was detected when the cells were grown on [(35)S]sulfate and l-cysteine ethylester indicating the origin of elemental sulfur from l-cysteine ethylester. C. fusca seems to have enzymes for the metabolism of elemental sulfur, since it disappeared after prolonged growth into the stationary phase. Cysteine was formed from O-acetyl-l-serine and elemental sulfur in the presence of thiol groups and purified cysteine synthase from spinach or Chlorella.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1984

Polyamine Biosynthetic Enzymes in the Cell Cycle of Chlorella: Correlation between Ornithine Decarboxylase and DNA Synthesis at Different Light Intensities.

During the life cycle of Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck var vulgaris fa. vulgaris growing synchronously, the specific activity of ornithine decarboxylase peaked at the 2nd hour of the cycle, whereas that of arginine decarboxylase changed only slightly, increasing towards the end of the cycle. The endogenous level of putrescine and spermidine on a per cell basis increased gradually up to the 8th hour of the cycle, and declined thereafter. Thus, the peak of ornithine decarboxylase activity and the polyamine increase preceded both DNA replication (which took place between the 6th and 8th hours of the cycle) and autospore release (which started at the 8th hour). A 2-fold increase in the light intensity caused doubling of the DNA content, resulting in doubling of the number of autospores per mother cell. It also brought about a 2-fold increase in the specific activity of ornithine decarboxylase and polyamine content, the peaks being at the same hour of the cycle under high and low light intensities. The increase in cell number and polyamine content in a Chlorella culture grown under high light intensity was inhibited by alpha-difluoromethyl ornithine, a specific inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, this inhibition being partially reversed by putrescine.It is suggested that in C. vulgaris the sequence of events which relates polyamine biosynthesis to cell division is as follows: increased ornithine decarboxylase activity, accumulation of polyamines, DNA replication, and autospore release.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1986

Oxygen-18 Exchange as a Measure of Accessibility of CO(2) and HCO(3) to Carbonic Anhydrase in Chlorella vulgaris (UTEX 263).

We have measured the exchange of (18)O between CO(2) and H(2)O in stirred suspensions of Chlorella vulgaris (UTEX 263) using a membrane inlet to a mass spectrometer. The depletion of (18)O from CO(2) in the fluid outside the cells provides a method to study CO(2) and HCO(3) (-) kinetics in suspensions of algae that contain carbonic anhydrase since (18)O loss to H(2)O is catalyzed inside the cells but not in the external fluid. Low-CO(2) cells of Chlorella vulgaris (grown with air) were added to a solution containing (18)O enriched CO(2) and HCO(3) (-) with 2 to 15 millimolar total inorganic carbon. The observed depletion of (18)O from CO(2) was biphasic and the resulting (18)C content of CO(2) was much less than the (18)O content of HCO(3) (-) in the external solution. Analysis of the slopes showed that the Fick's law rate constant for entry of HCO(3) (-) into the cell was experimentally indistinguishable from zero (bicarbonate impermeable) with an upper limit of 3 x 10(-4) s(-1) due to our experimental errors. The Fick's law rate constant for entry of CO(2) to the sites of intracellular carbonic anhydrase was large, 0.013 per second, but not as great as calculated for no membrane barrier to CO(2) flux (6 per second). The experimental value may be explained by a nonhomogeneous distribution of carbonic anhydrase in the cell (such as membrane-bound enzyme) or by a membrane barrier to CO(2) entry into the cell or both. The CO(2) hydration activity inside the cells was 160 times the uncatalyzed CO(2) hydration rate.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1986

Evidence for Chloroplastic Localization of an Ammonium-Inducible Glutamate Dehydrogenase and Synthesis of Its Subunit from a Cytosolic Precursor-Protein in Chlorella sorokiniana.

Chlorella sorokiniana cells, cultured for 12 hours in 30 millimolar ammonium medium, contained an ammonium inducible nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-specific glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP-GDH) isoenzyme with subunits having a molecular weight of 53,000. In vitro translation of total cellular poly(A)(+) RNA, isolated from fully induced cells, resulted in synthesis of an NADP-GDH antigen with a molecular weight of 58,500. The 58,500 dalton antigen was processed in vitro, with a 100,000g supernatant prepared from broken fully induced Chlorella cells, to a protein with a molecular weight of 53,000. These data support the inference that the NADP-GDH subunit (M(r) = 53,000) is initially synthesized as a larger precursor protein (M(r) = 58,500). By use of a cytochemical staining procedure, dependent upon NADP-GDH catalytic activity, the holoenzyme was shown to be chloroplast-localized. An immunoelectron microscopy procedure, employing anti-NADP-GDH immunoglobulin G and Protein A-gold complex, showed that NADP-GDH antigen was absent from the nucleus but present in both the chloroplast and cytosol. Since synthesis of the enzyme can be inhibited by cycloheximide, the detection of NADP-GDH antigen in the cytosol was probably due to binding of the NADP-GDH antibody to nascent polypeptide chains of the precursor-protein being synthesized on cytosolic 80S ribosomes.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1991

Identification and localization of carbonic anhydrase in two chlorella species.

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity and localization have been examined in two species of the eukaryotic green alga Chlorella. Mass spectrometric and potentiometric assays of CA activity indicate that C. ellipsoidea contains very little extracellular CA activity whereas C. saccharophila exhibits significant extracellular activity when grown at alkaline pH values. Extracellular CA activity appears to be correlated with the presence of a 36 kilodalton polypeptide that was detected immunologically using a polyclonal antibody directed against the 37 kilodalton Chlamydomonas CA monomer. Both Chlorella species and enzymatically isolated C. ellipsoidea chloroplasts also contain an immunologically similar 38 kilodalton polypeptide that may be a cytosolic or chloroplastic form of CA.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1991

Screening of natural waters for viruses which infect chlorella cells.

By using a plaque assay with the unicellular green alga Chlorella sp. strain NC64A as a host, viruses were screened from natural pond waters collected in Kyoto and Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan. From some samples tested, two kinds of plaques, large (phi = 6 to 10 mm) and small (phi = 2 to 3 mm), were detected with various frequencies. The frequency of plaques in each of the water sources was seasonal; generally, it reached a peak value (8,000 PFU/ml) in May and gradually decreased to the limit of detection (<1) in November before increasing again in early spring. Electron microscopy revealed that the purified and negatively stained viruses were very large (125 to 200 nm) icosahedral particles. The genome isolated from these particles was always a linear double-stranded DNA of 340 to 370 kbp. Electrophoresis patterns of the DNA fragments produced by digestion with restriction enzymes differed considerably from plaque to plaque, even for plaques from the same water source. However, Southern hybridization showed strong homology among all of the virus DNAs tested, indicating relatedness of those viruses. A possible use of the Chlorella virus assay system to monitor the natural population of algal cells and water quality is discussed.

Journal Article↗