Abstract
Peroxisomes were isolated by gradient centrifugation from two different diatoms: Nitzschia laevis (subgroup of Pennales) and Thalassiosira fluviatilis (subgroup of Centrales). In neither of these organelles could catalase or any H2O2-forming oxidase be demonstrated. The glycolate-oxidizing enzyme present in the peroxisomes is a dehydrogenase capable of oxidizing l-lactate as well. The peroxisomes also contain the glyoxysomal markers isocitrate lyase and malate synthase. However, enzymes of the fatty-acid β-oxidation pathway are located exclusively in the mitochondria. The mitochondria additionally possess glutamate-glyoxylate aminotransferase and a glycolate dehydrogenase which differs from the peroxisomal glycolate dehydrogenase since it preferably utilizes d-lactate as an alternative substrate. Hydroxypyruvate reductase and glyoxylate carboligase were not found in the cells of either diatom. By culturing Nitzschia laevis it could be demonstrated that decreasing the CO2 concentration in the aeration mixture from 2% to 0.03% and increasing the irradiance from 40 to 250 μmol quanta · m−2 · s−1 resulted in an increase of all peroxisomal enzyme activities. In addition, enzyme activities of the β-oxidation pathway were increased. However, mitochondrial glycolate dehydrogenase and aminotransferase did not alter their activities under these conditions. Summarizing all results, it is postulated that there are two different pathways for the metabolism of glycolate in the diatoms.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Backeshoff, K., Stabenau, H. (1990) Peroxisomes in the alga Vaucheria are neither of the leaf peroxisomal nor of the glyoxysomal type. Bot. Acta 103, 190–196
Badour, S., Waygood, E.R. (1971) Glyoxylate carboxy-lyase activity in the unicellular green alga Gloeomonas sp. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 242, 493–499
Böger, P. (1964) Das Strukturproteid aus Chloroplasten einzelliger Grünalgen und seine Beziehung zum Chlorophyll. Flora 154, 174–211
Burris, J.E. (1977) Photosynthesis, photorespiration and dark respiration in eight species of algae. Mar. Biol. (Berl.) 39, 371–379
Clagett, C.O., Tolbert, N.E., Burris, R.H. (1949) Oxidation of alphahydroxyacids by enzymes from plants. J. Biol. Chem. 178, 977–979
Cooper, T.G., Beevers, H. (1969) Mitochondria and glyoxysomes from castor bean endosperm. J. Biol. Chem. 244, 3507–3513
Hackett, D.P. (1964) Enzymes of terminal respiration. In: Modern methods of plant analysis, pp. 646–694, Linskens, H.F., Sanwal, B.D., Tracey, M.V., eds. Springer Berlin
Husic, D.W., Tolbert, N.E. (1992) Enzymes of glycolate, lactate and pyruvate metabolism in algae: an evolutionary perspective. In: Phylogenetic changes in peroxisomes of algae — Phylogeny of plant peroxisomes, pp. 233–252, Stabenau, H., ed. University Press, Oldenburg
Kenten, R.H., Mann, P.J.G. (1952) Hydrogen peroxide formation in oxidations catalyzed by plant alpha-hydroxyacid oxidase. Biochem. J. 52, 136–139
Mortain-Bertrand, A. (1988) Photosynthetic metabolism of an antarctic diatom and its physiological responses to fluctuations in light. Polar Biol 9, 53–60
Paul, J.S., Volcani, B.E. (1974) Photorespiration in diatoms. I. The oxidation of glycolic acid in Thalassiosira pseudonana (Cyclotella nana). Arch. Microbiol. 101, 115–120
Paul, J.S., Volcani, B.E. (1975) Photorespiration in diatoms. III. Glycolate: cytochrome c reductase in the diatom Cylindrotheca fusiformis. Plant Sci. Let. 5, 281–285
Paul, J.S., Volcani, B.E. (1976) Photorespiration in diatoms. IV. Two pathways of glycolate metabolism in synchronized cultures of Cylindrotheca fusiformis. Arch. Microbiol. 110, 247–252
Paul, J.S., Sullivan, C.W., Volcani, b.E. (1975) Photorespiration in diatoms. Mitochondrial glycolate dehydrogenase in Cylindrotheca fusiformis and Nitzschia alba. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 169, 152–159
Round, F.E., Crawford, R.M. (1981) The lines of evolution of the Bacillariophyta. Proc. R. Soc. London B 211, 237–260
Stabenau, H. (1974) Localization of enzymes of glycolate metabolism in the alga Chlorogonium elongatum. Plant Physiol. 54, 921–924
Stabenau, H. (1978) Microbodies from Chlorogonium and Spirogyra. In: Handbook of phycological methods, pp. 31–38, Hellebust, J.A., Craigie, J.S., eds. Cambridge University Press, New York
Stabenau, H. (1984) Microbodies in different algae. In: Compartments in algal cells and their interaction, pp 183–190, Wiessner, W., Robinson, D., Starr, R.C., eds. Springer, Berlin
Stabenau, H. (1992a) Evolutionary changes of enzymes in peroxisomes and mitochondria of green algae. In: Phylogenetic changes in peroxisomes of algae — Phylogeny of plant peroxisomes, pp. 63–79, Stabenau, H., ed. University Press, Oldenburg
Stabenau, H. (1992b) Peroxisomes of Heterokontophyta. In: Phylogenetic changes in peroxisomes of algae — Phylogeny of plant peroxisomes, pp. 112–129, Stabenau, H., ed. University Press, Oldenburg
Stabenau, H. (1992c) Phylogeny of peroxisomes in algae and higher plants. In: Phylogenetic changes in peroxisomes of algae — Phylogeny of plant peroxisomes, pp. 143–154, Stabenau, H., ed. University Press, Oldenburg
Stabenau, H. (1992d) Peroxisomes in algae. In: Phylogenetic changes in peroxisomes of algae — Phylogeny of plant peroxisomes, pp 42–62, Stabenau, H., ed. University Press, Oldenburg
Stabenau, H., Beevers, H. (1974) Isolation and characterization of microbodies from the alga Chlorogonium elongatum. Plant Physiol. 53, 866–869
Stabenau, H., Saeftel, W. (1992) Peroxisomes of Rhodophyta. In: Phylogenetic changes in peroxisomes of algae — Phylogeny of plant peroxisomes, pp 106–111, Stabenau, H., ed. University Press, Oldenburg
Stabenau, H., Winkler, U., Saeftel, W. (1989) Compartmentation of peroxisomal enzymes in algae of the group of Prasinophyceae — occurrence of possible microbodies without catalase. Plant Physiol. 90, 754–759
Winkler, U., Saeftel, W, Stabenau, H. (1988) Beta oxidation of fatty acids in algae — Localization of thiolase and acyl-CoA oxidizing enzymes in three different organisms. Planta 175, 91–98
Winkler, U, Stabenau, H. (1992a) Compartmentation of peroxisomal enzymes in the diatom Fragilaria. In: Phylogenetic changes in peroxisomes of algae — Phylogeny of plant peroxisomes, pp. 130–139, Stabenau, H., ed. University Press, Oldenburg
Winkler, U., Stabenau, H. (1992b) Metabolism of glycolate in mitochondria and peroxisomes of green algae. In: Phylogenetic changes in peroxisomes of algae — Phylogeny of plant peroxisomes, pp 80–91, Stabenau, H., ed., University Press, Oldenburg
Winkler, U., Saeftel, W, Stabenau, H. (1982) Studies on the aminotransferases participating in the glycolate metabolism of the alga Mougeotia. Plant Physiol. 70, 340–343
Yokota, A. (1992) Glycolate dehydrogenase and glycolate metabolism in Euglena. In: Phylogenetic changes in peroxisomes of algae — Phylogeny of plant peroxisomes, pp. 92–105, Stabenau, H., ed., University Press, Oldenburg
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Winkler, U., Stabenau, H. Isolation and characterization of peroxisomes from diatoms. Planta 195, 403–407 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00202598
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00202598