Abstract
Two strains of Cyanidium caldarium which possess different biochemical and nutritional characteristics were examined with respect to their ability to utilize amino acids or 2-ketoglutarate as substrates.
One strain utilizes alanine, glutamate or aspartate as nitrogen sources, and glutamate, alanine or 2-ketoglutarate as carbon and energy sources for growth in the dark. The growth rate in the dark on 2-ketoglutarate is almost twice as high or higher than that on glutamate or alanine. During growth or incubation of this alga on amino acids, large amounts of ammonia are formed; however, ammonia formation is strongly inhibited by 2-ketoglutarate. The capacity of the alga to form ammonia from amino acids is inducible and develops fully only when the cells are grown or incubated in the presence of glutamate.
By contrast, the other strain of Cyanidium caldarium cannot utilize alanine or aspartate as nitrogen sources. It utilizes glutamate only very poorly and does not excrete ammonia into the external medium. This strain is unable to utilize amino acids or 2-ketoglutarate as carbon and energy sources for heterotrophic growth.
Cell-free extracts were tested for the occurrence of enzymes which could account for amino acid metabolism and ammonia formation.
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Rigano, C., Fuggi, A., Rigano, V.D.M. et al. Studies on utilization of 2-ketoglutarate, glutamate and other amino acids by the unicellular alga Cyanidium caldarium . Arch. Microbiol. 107, 133–138 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446832
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446832