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The glycollate pathway during the photoassimilation of acetate by Chlorella

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Summary

When Chlorella pyrenoidosa photoassimilates 3H−14C-acetate glycollic acid rapidly becomes labelled with both tritium and 14C. The 3H/14C ratio was 10 in glycollate, (compared with 4 in the acetate added) and the only other intermediates showing similar 3H/14C ratios to glycollate were glycerate and serine. This suggests a glycollate pathway for the formation of serine was operating in Chlorella pyrenoidosa during the photoassimilation of acetate. When Chlorella pyrenoidosa assimilated 3H−14C-acetate in the dark glycollate was not labelled with either 14C or tritium. Although glycerate and serine both became labelled with 14C and tritium in the dark they did not show the high 3H/14C ratios recorded in the light. When cells were aerated with unlabelled 5% CO2 during the photoassimilation of 3H−14C-acetate, the 3H/14C ratios of glycollate, glycerate and serine were slightly decreased. Similarly, under anaerobic conditions in the light the 3H/14C ratio was decreased compared with aerobic conditions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK

    M. J. Merrett & K. H. Goulding

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  1. M. J. Merrett
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  2. K. H. Goulding
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Merrett, M.J., Goulding, K.H. The glycollate pathway during the photoassimilation of acetate by Chlorella . Planta 80, 321–327 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00385385

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00385385

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