Acta Physiologiae Plantarum

, Volume 25, Issue 3, pp 271–278 | Cite as

The effect of biochanin A on the chlorophylls and carotenoids content in the alga Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck

  • Romuald Czerpak
  • Alicja Piotrowska
  • Paweł Dobrzyń
  • Andrzej Tatur
  • Monika Marczuk
Article
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to determine the influence of biochanin A, isoflavone characterised by estrogenic activity, upon the content of chlorophylls and carotenoids in the cells of green alga Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck (Chlorophyceae). On the 6th day of cultivation under the influence of 10−6 M biochanin A exerted the greatest biological activity and the most stimulating effect on the analysed parameters: growth of the alga expressed by the cells number and the content of photosynthetic pigments in them. The total content of carotenoids was stimulated on the 6th day of experiment in the range of 197 % but during the 9th day only in 179 % in comparision with the control group (100 %). At the same time content of carotenes increased to the level of 123 – 119 % and xanthophylls to 208 – 178 %. Among the carotenes, β-carotene was characterised with the 3.7 times higher content in regard to the content of α-carotene on the 6th day of cultivation and during the 9th day — the 5.7 times domination. The content of xanthophylls that contain two atoms of oxygene in molecule (oxygen — poor xanthophylls) was intensively stimulated in the range of 224 %. Moreover, the oxygen — rich xanthophylls content reached the value 179 % when compared to the control. The greatest stimulation of the content of chlorophylls and its isomers was observed during the 3rd day of cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris when it rose up to 166 % and to 156 % on the 6th day. The content of chlorophyll b and its isomers was stimulated in 181 % on the 6th day of culture and 155 % during the 9th day of algal culture. The evidence on the stimulating effect of biochanin A as the main representative of isoflavones on the growth and content photosynthetic pigments in eucaryotic alga C. vulgaris was demonstrated in these studies.

Key words

Chlorella vulgaris biochanin A growth chlorophylls a and b carotenes xanthophylls 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Abul-Haij Y.J., Qian X. 1986. Transformation of steroids by algae. J. Nat. Prod., 49: 244–248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Alhasan S.A., Ensley J.F., Sarkar F.H. 2000. Genistein induced molecular changes in a squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck cell line. Internat. J. Oncol., 16: 333–338.Google Scholar
  3. Andlauer W., Kolb J., Furst P. 2000. Absorption and metabolism of genistin in the isolated rat small intenstine. FEBS Lett., 475: 127–130.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Bajguz A., Czerpak R. 1996. Metabolic activity of estradiol in Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck (Chlorophyceae). Part I. Content of photosynthetic pigments. Pol. Arch. Hydrobiol., 43: 421–426.Google Scholar
  5. Burda S., Suchecki S. 1996. Zawartość izoflawonów w materiałach hodowlanych koniczyny czerwonej (T. pratense L.). Acta Agrobot., 49: 89–94.Google Scholar
  6. Czerpak R. 1993. The occurrence and biological activity of animal hormones and related compounds in plants. Kosmos, 42: 613–636.Google Scholar
  7. Czerpak R., Czeczuga B. 1978. Występowanie, biosynteza i rola karotenoidów u glonów. Wiad. Bot., 22: 47–59.Google Scholar
  8. Czerpak R., Szamrej I.K. 2000. Metabolic activity of 11-deoxycorticosterone and prednisolone in the alga Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck. Acta Soc. Bot. Pol., 69: 25–29.Google Scholar
  9. Demmig-Adams B., Adams W.W. 1996. The role of xanthophyll cycle carotenoids in the protection of photosynthesis. Trends Plant Sci., 1: 21–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Gao Y.H., Yamaguchi M. 2000. Supressive effect of genistein on rat bone osteoclasts: involvement of protein kinase inhibition and protein tyrosine phosphatase activation. Internat. J. Mol. Med., 5: 261–267.Google Scholar
  11. Geuns J.M.C. 1978. Steroid hormones and plant growth and development. Phytochemistry, 17: 1–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Goodwin T.W. 1976. Chemistry and Biochemistry of Plant Pigments. Vol. 1–2. Academic Press. London.Google Scholar
  13. Goodwin T.W. 1980. The Biochemistry of the Carotenoids. Vol. 1. Plants. Chapman and Hall. London-New York.Google Scholar
  14. Hager A. 1980. The reversible, light — induced conversions of xanthophylls in the chloroplast. In: Pigments in Plants. Gustaw Fischer Verlag. Stuttgart — New York: 57–79.Google Scholar
  15. Heftmann E. 1975 A. Function of steroids in plants. Phytochemistry, 14: 891–902.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Heftmann E. 1975 B. Steroid hormones in plants. Lloydia, 28: 285–302.Google Scholar
  17. Hewitt S., Hillman J.R., Knights B.A. 1980. Steroidal estrogens and plant growth and development. New. Phytol., 85: 329–350.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Huang R., Dillon G.H. 2000. Direct inhibition of glycine receptors by genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Neuropharmacology, 39: 2195–2204.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Jones J.L., Roddick J.G. 1988. Steroidal estrogens and androgens in relation to reproductive development in higher plant. J. Plant Physiol., 133: 510–518.Google Scholar
  20. Jurzysta M., Burda S., Żurek J., Płoszyński M. 1988. Występowanie izoflawonów w krajowych gatunkach koniczyny. Acta Agrobot., 41: 77–90.Google Scholar
  21. Kishida T., Nashiki K., Izumi T., Ebihara K. 2000. Soy isoflavonoid aglycons genistein and daidzein do not increase the cytochrome P-450 content of the liver microsomes of mice. J. Agric. Food Chem., 48: 3872–3875.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. Kopcewicz J. 1969. Effect of estrone on the content of endogenous gibberellins in the dwarf pea. Naturwissenschaften, 56: 334–335.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. Kopcewicz J. 1970. Influence of estrogens on the auxin content in plants. Naturwissenschaften, 57: 48–49.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. Lamon-Fava S. 2000. Genistein activates apolipoprotein A-I gene expression in the human hepatoma cell line Hep G2. Amer. Soc. Nutr. Sci., 130: 2489–2492.Google Scholar
  25. Lewin L.R. 1962. Physiology and Biochemistry of Algae. Academic Press. New York.Google Scholar
  26. Liggins J., Bluck L.J.C., Runswick S., Atkinson C., Coward W.A., Bingham S.A. 2000. Daidzein and genistein content of fruits and nuts. J. Nutr. Biochem., 11: 326–331.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  27. Mahato S.B., Majumdar I. 1993. Current trends in microbial steroid biotransformation. Phytochemistry, 34: 883–898.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. Mantoura R.F.C., Llewellyn C.A. 1983. The rapid determination of algal chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments and their breakdown products in natural water by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Anal. Chim. Acta, 151: 297–313.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  29. Niyogi K.K., Grossman A.R., Björkman O. 1998. Arabidopsis mutant define a central role for the xanthophyll cycle in the regulation of photosynthetic energy conversions. The Plant Cell, 10: 1121–1134.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. Pirson A., Lorenzen H. 1966. Synchronized dividing algae. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol., 17: 439–458.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  31. Šláma K. 1980. Animal hormones and antihormones in plants. Biochem. Physiol. Pflanzen, 175: 177–193.Google Scholar
  32. Stewart W.D.P., (Ed.). 1974. Algal Physiology and Biochemistry. (Bot. Monogr.) Blackwell Sci. Publ. Oxford, London, Edinburgh, Melbourne.Google Scholar
  33. Yamamoto H.Y. 1979. Biochemistry of the violaxanthin cycle. Pure Appl. Chem., 51: 639–648.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Department of Plant Physiology 2003

Authors and Affiliations

  • Romuald Czerpak
    • 1
  • Alicja Piotrowska
    • 1
  • Paweł Dobrzyń
    • 1
  • Andrzej Tatur
    • 2
  • Monika Marczuk
    • 1
  1. 1.Institute of BiologyUniversity of BiałystokBiałystok
  2. 2.Institute of EcologyPolish Academy of SciencesŁomianki

Personalised recommendations