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Phycobiliproteins in the phycobionts of the stereocaulon species
BiochemlcalSystemat/csandEcology,Vol 15, No 1, pp 15-17, 1987 Pnnted in Great Brrtam
0305-1978/87 $300+000 © 1987PergamonJournalsLtd
Phycobiliproteins in the Phycobionts of the Stereocaulon Species* B. CZECZUGA Department of General Biology, Medical Academy, 15-230 Bialystok, Poland
Key Word Index--Lichens, Stereocaulon; phycobdiprotems; C-phycoerythrln, C-phycocyanln; allophycocyanm, chemotaxohorny. Abstract--By means of Sephadex-100 chromatography the presence of phycobd=protems m Stereocaulon (six speczes) was stud,ed The following phycobiliprotems were found to be present (except=on S. arenanum); C-phycoerythrm, C-phycocyanin and allophycocyanln.
Introduction
Phycobiliprotein pigments are known to occur in blue-green (Cyanobacteria), red and cryptomonad algae [1-3]. Whilst carrying out studies on the presence of various pigments of the phycobiliprotein type in different algae species [47], our attention was drawn to species of lichen in which the alga components are Cyanobacteria. Preliminary investigations of phycobiliproteins in the phycobionts of lichens of the Pelt/gem genus [8] showed that phycobiliprotein pigments may be used in taxonomic studies of lichens in a similar way to their application in such studies of algae [9, 10]. With this view, we decided to study some lichen species of the Stereocaulon genus, of which some species have Cyanobacteria as phycobionts.
Phycoerythrin occurred in negligible amounts (Table 1).
Discussion As previous atudies have shown [11], phycobiliprotein pigments in algae play the role of additional antennae which absorb light rays on an appropriate wave length. The energy absorbed by phycoerythrin is transferred to phycocyanin which, in turn, transfers it to allophycocyanin and, in the final stage, to chlorophyll a [12, 13]. In Cyanobacteria [14] and red algae [7, 15, 16], it was shown that the phycobiliprotein pigment content in the phycobilisomes is not constant depending as it does on the intensity and the spectral composition of light. Where the intensity of light is less, the phycobiliprotein pigResults ment content increases and vice versa. This Of the six lichen species of the Stereocaulon kind of chromatic adaptation also takes place in genus, only the thalli of S. arenarium did not lichens of the Stereocaulon genus (Table 2). contain phycobiliproteins. In the thalli of all the As we know [17], in most of the lichen other five species the presence of three types of species of the Stereocaulon genus, Cyanophycobiliprotein pigments was noted: C- bacteria occur in the cephaloides; these are phycoerythrin (;~m,x 556-562 nm), C- mainly species of the Nostoc genus. Investigaphycocyanin ()~,x 612-618 nm) and allophyco- tions have shown [18] that in the Nostoc genus, cyanin (;k~.x 646-652 nm). In the thalli of the the cells contain such phycobiliprotein pigments lichen species of the Stereocaulon genus under as phycoerythrin, phycocyanin and allophycoinvestigation, the dominant phycobiliprotein pig- cyanin. Chromatic adaptation, changes in the ment was found to be allophycocyanin. C- amount of phycobiliprotein pigments [19, 20] and in the shape of the cells according to the *Part 8 in the series "Studies on Phycoblliproteins in Algae". spectral composition of light [21], are also For Part 7 see Czeczuga, B. (1985) PolarB/ol. 4, 179. characteristic of free-living Cyanobacteria of the (Received 28 February 1986) Nostoc genus. This is in line with the general
16
C CZECZUGA
TABLE 1 PHYCOBILIPROTEINSCOMPOSITIONOF THE STEREOCAULONSPECIES Total content Species (mg g ' dry wt) Stereocaulon alplnum
0 084
Stereocaulon a r e n a r l u m Stereocaulon tncrustatum
. 0 048
Stereocaulon paschale
0 075
Stereocaulon tomentosum
0144
Stereocaulon vesuwanum
0 027
Visible absorption maxima (nm)
Fluorescence emtsslonmaxima (nm)
Identlflcatton
Amount (%)
650 618 556
660 637 576
Allophycocyanm C-Phycocyanm C-Phycoerythrm
48 0 32 0 20 0
AIIophycocyanm C-Phycocyamn C-Phycoerythrm AIIophycocyanm C-Phycocyamn C-Phycoerythrln AIIophycocyanm C-Phycocyamn C-Phycoerythnn AIIophycocyanin C-Phycocyamn C-Phycoerythnn
44 6 30 4 25 0 48 0 32 0 20 0 46 8 281 251 46 8 31 2 22 0
.
.
652 616 562 650 612 560 652 618 562 646 614 558
TABLE 2 PHYCOBILIPROTEINS CONTENT IN STEREOCAULON INCRUSTATUMBY DIFFERENTINTENSITIESOF LIGHT Specrficat~on
21 June
23 September
Intensity of hght (W m-~) Total content of phycoblhproteln (rag g-~) Content of (%) C-Phycoerythnn C-Phycocyanm AIIophycocyanm
226 4
158 5
0 085 23 5 26 5 50 0
0108 15 0 32 5 52 5
developmental strategy of these monera which grow best where the light is less intense [22]. The phycobiliprotein pigments isolated from the thalli of the lichen species in the present study were found to have somewhat different absorption maxima depending on the species. The maximum absorption of C-phycocyanin varied between 612 and 618 nm, A similar observation was made in our investigations into phycobiliproteins pigments isolated from lichen thalli of the Peltigera genus [8]. This may be due to differences in the protein component of the phycobiliprotein complex as was demonstrated in studies of phycobiliprotein complexes in freeliving Cyanobacteria [23]. The presence of phycobiliprotein pigments in certain lichen species enables them to make better use of the light energy in their given ecological niches. This chromatic adaptation, consisting in changes in the concentration of their phycobiliprotein pigments, takes place in both
.
.
662 643 577 660 643 576 662 637 577 660 639 575
free-living Cyanobactena and those forming part of lichens. Similar changes occur in the carotenoid content [24] and in the chlorophylls of lichens [25]. Experimental Stereocaulon alplnum Laur (10 g dry wt), S arenarlum (Say.) Lamb (8 g dry wt); S tncrustatum FIk. (15 g dry wt); S paschale (L) Hoffm (10 g dry wt); S. tornentosum Fr (11 g dry wt) and S vesuwanum Pres (12 g dry wt) were collected from Blalystok Province and Greenland The phycobdiprotems were separated from the thalfi of the hchens according to earlier methods [16] with ammomum sulphate After centnfugatlon the matenal was dissolved in a 01 M phosphate buffer at pH 7 and purified by =on exchange chromatography using Sephadex G-100 column Elut~on was carned out in a phosphate buffer at pH 7 using a hnear gradient of concentration within the range 0.005-0 1 M The identification of the phycobfl=protems momety as achieved by a visible absorption and fluorescence emission maxima [26] Relative amounts of particular phycobihprotems were determined by the method of Bennet and Bogorad [27]
Acknowledgements--I thank Dr Vagn Alstrup from Instrtute of Plant Ecology UmverslW of Copenhagen for kindly prowdmg the hchen samples.
References 1 Goodwm, T W. (1974) in Algal Physiology and Biocherms~/ (Stewart, W, D P., ed ) pp 176-205 Oxford 2 0 ' C a r r a , P. and O'hEocha, C (1976) m Chemistry and Biochermstry o f Plant Pigments (Goodwm, T W. ed.) pp. 328376 Academic Press, London. 3 Gantt, E. (1979) Biochern. Physiol. Protozoa 1, 121 4 Czeczuga, B. (1982) Wlad. Botan 26, 171 5. Czeczuga, B (1982) Nova Hedwgla 36, 681
PHYCOBILIPROTEINSIN STEREOCAULON 6. Czeczuga, B. (1983) in International Project Palao/imno/ogy andLate Cenozoic Climate (Horie, S., ed.) pp. 13-15. Kyoto Un=v. Press, Kyoto. 7 Czeczuga, B. and Taylor, F. J. (1983) Nova Hedwigla 37, 441 8. Czeczuga, B. (1982) Nova Hedv~gia 36, 687. 9. Chapman, D J., Cole, W. J and Siegelman, H. W (1968) Am. J. Botany 85, 314. 10. Hiross, H., Kumano, Sh. and Madon, K (1969) The Botan1ca (India) 82, 197 11 Bryant, D. A., Gugliemi, G, Tandeau de Marsac, N., Castets, A M, and Cohen-Bazire, G (1976) Arch. Microblol. 123, 113 12. Morschel, E. and Wehrmeyer, W. (1975) Arch. Microblol. 105, 153. 13 Stadnl~:uk, I N. and Guslev, M. W. (1979) Biochemla 44, 579 14. R0dlger, W. (1975) Ber. Deutsch. Bo~ Ges. 88, 125. 15. Czeczuga, B. (1985) Acte Soc. Bo~ Po/. 54, 12
17 16. Czeczuga, B. (1985) Polar Biol, 4, 179. 17. Nowak, J. and Tobolewsk=, Z. (1975) Porosty po/skle p. 1177. PWN, Warszawa. 18 Zilinskas, B. (1982) P/antPhyslol. 70, 1060. 19. Kipe-Nolt, J. A., Stevens, S. E, Jr and Bryant, D. A. (1982) P/ant Physiol. 70, 1549 20 Zilinskas, B. A and Hovell, D. A (1983) Plant Physiol. 71, 379. 21 Isono, 7". and Fuj=ta, Y. (1981) Plant CellPhyslol. 22, 185. 22. Richardson, K., Beardall, J and Raven, J A. (1983) New Phytol, 93, 157. 23. O'hEocha, C. and O'Carra, P. (1971) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 83, 1091 24 Czeczuga, B. (1983) 81ochem. Syst Ecol. 11, 329. 25. Czeczuga, B. (1981) Nova Hedwigla 35, 371. 26 Ray, 7". B., Peters, G A. and Toia, R E, Jr. (1978) PlantPhyslol, 62, 463 27. Bennett, A and Bogorad, L. (1973) J. Cell, 81ol, 58, 419.
0305-1978/87 $300+000 © 1987PergamonJournalsLtd
Phycobiliproteins in the Phycobionts of the Stereocaulon Species* B. CZECZUGA Department of General Biology, Medical Academy, 15-230 Bialystok, Poland
Key Word Index--Lichens, Stereocaulon; phycobdiprotems; C-phycoerythrln, C-phycocyanln; allophycocyanm, chemotaxohorny. Abstract--By means of Sephadex-100 chromatography the presence of phycobd=protems m Stereocaulon (six speczes) was stud,ed The following phycobiliprotems were found to be present (except=on S. arenanum); C-phycoerythrm, C-phycocyanin and allophycocyanln.
Introduction
Phycobiliprotein pigments are known to occur in blue-green (Cyanobacteria), red and cryptomonad algae [1-3]. Whilst carrying out studies on the presence of various pigments of the phycobiliprotein type in different algae species [47], our attention was drawn to species of lichen in which the alga components are Cyanobacteria. Preliminary investigations of phycobiliproteins in the phycobionts of lichens of the Pelt/gem genus [8] showed that phycobiliprotein pigments may be used in taxonomic studies of lichens in a similar way to their application in such studies of algae [9, 10]. With this view, we decided to study some lichen species of the Stereocaulon genus, of which some species have Cyanobacteria as phycobionts.
Phycoerythrin occurred in negligible amounts (Table 1).
Discussion As previous atudies have shown [11], phycobiliprotein pigments in algae play the role of additional antennae which absorb light rays on an appropriate wave length. The energy absorbed by phycoerythrin is transferred to phycocyanin which, in turn, transfers it to allophycocyanin and, in the final stage, to chlorophyll a [12, 13]. In Cyanobacteria [14] and red algae [7, 15, 16], it was shown that the phycobiliprotein pigment content in the phycobilisomes is not constant depending as it does on the intensity and the spectral composition of light. Where the intensity of light is less, the phycobiliprotein pigResults ment content increases and vice versa. This Of the six lichen species of the Stereocaulon kind of chromatic adaptation also takes place in genus, only the thalli of S. arenarium did not lichens of the Stereocaulon genus (Table 2). contain phycobiliproteins. In the thalli of all the As we know [17], in most of the lichen other five species the presence of three types of species of the Stereocaulon genus, Cyanophycobiliprotein pigments was noted: C- bacteria occur in the cephaloides; these are phycoerythrin (;~m,x 556-562 nm), C- mainly species of the Nostoc genus. Investigaphycocyanin ()~,x 612-618 nm) and allophyco- tions have shown [18] that in the Nostoc genus, cyanin (;k~.x 646-652 nm). In the thalli of the the cells contain such phycobiliprotein pigments lichen species of the Stereocaulon genus under as phycoerythrin, phycocyanin and allophycoinvestigation, the dominant phycobiliprotein pig- cyanin. Chromatic adaptation, changes in the ment was found to be allophycocyanin. C- amount of phycobiliprotein pigments [19, 20] and in the shape of the cells according to the *Part 8 in the series "Studies on Phycoblliproteins in Algae". spectral composition of light [21], are also For Part 7 see Czeczuga, B. (1985) PolarB/ol. 4, 179. characteristic of free-living Cyanobacteria of the (Received 28 February 1986) Nostoc genus. This is in line with the general
16
C CZECZUGA
TABLE 1 PHYCOBILIPROTEINSCOMPOSITIONOF THE STEREOCAULONSPECIES Total content Species (mg g ' dry wt) Stereocaulon alplnum
0 084
Stereocaulon a r e n a r l u m Stereocaulon tncrustatum
. 0 048
Stereocaulon paschale
0 075
Stereocaulon tomentosum
0144
Stereocaulon vesuwanum
0 027
Visible absorption maxima (nm)
Fluorescence emtsslonmaxima (nm)
Identlflcatton
Amount (%)
650 618 556
660 637 576
Allophycocyanm C-Phycocyanm C-Phycoerythrm
48 0 32 0 20 0
AIIophycocyanm C-Phycocyamn C-Phycoerythrm AIIophycocyanm C-Phycocyamn C-Phycoerythrln AIIophycocyanm C-Phycocyamn C-Phycoerythnn AIIophycocyanin C-Phycocyamn C-Phycoerythnn
44 6 30 4 25 0 48 0 32 0 20 0 46 8 281 251 46 8 31 2 22 0
.
.
652 616 562 650 612 560 652 618 562 646 614 558
TABLE 2 PHYCOBILIPROTEINS CONTENT IN STEREOCAULON INCRUSTATUMBY DIFFERENTINTENSITIESOF LIGHT Specrficat~on
21 June
23 September
Intensity of hght (W m-~) Total content of phycoblhproteln (rag g-~) Content of (%) C-Phycoerythnn C-Phycocyanm AIIophycocyanm
226 4
158 5
0 085 23 5 26 5 50 0
0108 15 0 32 5 52 5
developmental strategy of these monera which grow best where the light is less intense [22]. The phycobiliprotein pigments isolated from the thalli of the lichen species in the present study were found to have somewhat different absorption maxima depending on the species. The maximum absorption of C-phycocyanin varied between 612 and 618 nm, A similar observation was made in our investigations into phycobiliproteins pigments isolated from lichen thalli of the Peltigera genus [8]. This may be due to differences in the protein component of the phycobiliprotein complex as was demonstrated in studies of phycobiliprotein complexes in freeliving Cyanobacteria [23]. The presence of phycobiliprotein pigments in certain lichen species enables them to make better use of the light energy in their given ecological niches. This chromatic adaptation, consisting in changes in the concentration of their phycobiliprotein pigments, takes place in both
.
.
662 643 577 660 643 576 662 637 577 660 639 575
free-living Cyanobactena and those forming part of lichens. Similar changes occur in the carotenoid content [24] and in the chlorophylls of lichens [25]. Experimental Stereocaulon alplnum Laur (10 g dry wt), S arenarlum (Say.) Lamb (8 g dry wt); S tncrustatum FIk. (15 g dry wt); S paschale (L) Hoffm (10 g dry wt); S. tornentosum Fr (11 g dry wt) and S vesuwanum Pres (12 g dry wt) were collected from Blalystok Province and Greenland The phycobdiprotems were separated from the thalfi of the hchens according to earlier methods [16] with ammomum sulphate After centnfugatlon the matenal was dissolved in a 01 M phosphate buffer at pH 7 and purified by =on exchange chromatography using Sephadex G-100 column Elut~on was carned out in a phosphate buffer at pH 7 using a hnear gradient of concentration within the range 0.005-0 1 M The identification of the phycobfl=protems momety as achieved by a visible absorption and fluorescence emission maxima [26] Relative amounts of particular phycobihprotems were determined by the method of Bennet and Bogorad [27]
Acknowledgements--I thank Dr Vagn Alstrup from Instrtute of Plant Ecology UmverslW of Copenhagen for kindly prowdmg the hchen samples.
References 1 Goodwm, T W. (1974) in Algal Physiology and Biocherms~/ (Stewart, W, D P., ed ) pp 176-205 Oxford 2 0 ' C a r r a , P. and O'hEocha, C (1976) m Chemistry and Biochermstry o f Plant Pigments (Goodwm, T W. ed.) pp. 328376 Academic Press, London. 3 Gantt, E. (1979) Biochern. Physiol. Protozoa 1, 121 4 Czeczuga, B. (1982) Wlad. Botan 26, 171 5. Czeczuga, B (1982) Nova Hedwgla 36, 681
PHYCOBILIPROTEINSIN STEREOCAULON 6. Czeczuga, B. (1983) in International Project Palao/imno/ogy andLate Cenozoic Climate (Horie, S., ed.) pp. 13-15. Kyoto Un=v. Press, Kyoto. 7 Czeczuga, B. and Taylor, F. J. (1983) Nova Hedwigla 37, 441 8. Czeczuga, B. (1982) Nova Hedv~gia 36, 687. 9. Chapman, D J., Cole, W. J and Siegelman, H. W (1968) Am. J. Botany 85, 314. 10. Hiross, H., Kumano, Sh. and Madon, K (1969) The Botan1ca (India) 82, 197 11 Bryant, D. A., Gugliemi, G, Tandeau de Marsac, N., Castets, A M, and Cohen-Bazire, G (1976) Arch. Microblol. 123, 113 12. Morschel, E. and Wehrmeyer, W. (1975) Arch. Microblol. 105, 153. 13 Stadnl~:uk, I N. and Guslev, M. W. (1979) Biochemla 44, 579 14. R0dlger, W. (1975) Ber. Deutsch. Bo~ Ges. 88, 125. 15. Czeczuga, B. (1985) Acte Soc. Bo~ Po/. 54, 12
17 16. Czeczuga, B. (1985) Polar Biol, 4, 179. 17. Nowak, J. and Tobolewsk=, Z. (1975) Porosty po/skle p. 1177. PWN, Warszawa. 18 Zilinskas, B. (1982) P/antPhyslol. 70, 1060. 19. Kipe-Nolt, J. A., Stevens, S. E, Jr and Bryant, D. A. (1982) P/ant Physiol. 70, 1549 20 Zilinskas, B. A and Hovell, D. A (1983) Plant Physiol. 71, 379. 21 Isono, 7". and Fuj=ta, Y. (1981) Plant CellPhyslol. 22, 185. 22. Richardson, K., Beardall, J and Raven, J A. (1983) New Phytol, 93, 157. 23. O'hEocha, C. and O'Carra, P. (1971) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 83, 1091 24 Czeczuga, B. (1983) 81ochem. Syst Ecol. 11, 329. 25. Czeczuga, B. (1981) Nova Hedwigla 35, 371. 26 Ray, 7". B., Peters, G A. and Toia, R E, Jr. (1978) PlantPhyslol, 62, 463 27. Bennett, A and Bogorad, L. (1973) J. Cell, 81ol, 58, 419.