Photoregulation in a kleptochloroplastidic Dinoflagellate, Dinophysis acuta

TY - JOUR

T1 - Photoregulation in a kleptochloroplastidic Dinoflagellate, Dinophysis acuta

AU - Hansen, Per Juel

AU - Ojamäe, Karin

AU - Berge, Terje

AU - Trampe, Erik Christian Løvbjerg

AU - Nielsen, Lasse T.

AU - Lipps, Inga

AU - Kühl, Michael

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Some phagotrophic organisms can retain chloroplasts of their photosynthetic prey as so-called kleptochloroplasts and maintain their function for shorter or longer periods of time. Here we show for the first time that the dinoflagellate Dinophysis acuta takes control over "third-hand" chloroplasts obtained from its ciliate prey Mesodinium spp. that originally ingested the cryptophyte chloroplasts. With its kleptochloroplasts, D. acuta can synthesize photosynthetic as well as photoprotective pigments under long-term starvation in the light. Variable chlorophyll fluorescence measurements showed that the kleptochloroplasts were fully functional during 1 month of prey starvation, while the chlorophyll a-specific inorganic carbon uptake decreased within days of prey starvation under an irradiance of 100 μmol photons m-2 s-1. While D. acuta cells can regulate their pigmentation and function of kleptochloroplasts they apparently lose the ability to maintain high inorganic carbon fixation rates.

AB - Some phagotrophic organisms can retain chloroplasts of their photosynthetic prey as so-called kleptochloroplasts and maintain their function for shorter or longer periods of time. Here we show for the first time that the dinoflagellate Dinophysis acuta takes control over "third-hand" chloroplasts obtained from its ciliate prey Mesodinium spp. that originally ingested the cryptophyte chloroplasts. With its kleptochloroplasts, D. acuta can synthesize photosynthetic as well as photoprotective pigments under long-term starvation in the light. Variable chlorophyll fluorescence measurements showed that the kleptochloroplasts were fully functional during 1 month of prey starvation, while the chlorophyll a-specific inorganic carbon uptake decreased within days of prey starvation under an irradiance of 100 μmol photons m-2 s-1. While D. acuta cells can regulate their pigmentation and function of kleptochloroplasts they apparently lose the ability to maintain high inorganic carbon fixation rates.

U2 - 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00785

DO - 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00785

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27303378

SN - 1664-302X

VL - 7

JO - Frontiers in Microbiology

JF - Frontiers in Microbiology

M1 - 785

ER -