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Structural and functional changes in the photosynthetic apparatus of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii during nitrogen deprivation and replenishment

  • Original Papers
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Photosynthetica

Abstract

Nitrogen is an essential factor for normal plant and algal development. As a component of nucleic acids, proteins, and chlorophyll (Chl) molecules, it has a crucial role in the organization of a functioning photosynthetic apparatus. Our aim was to study the effects of nitrogen starvation in cultures of the unicellular green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, maintained on nitrogen-free, and then on nitrogen-containing medium. During the three-week-long degreening process, considerable changes were observed in the Chl content, the ratio of Chl-protein complexes, and photosynthetic activity of the cultures as well as in the ultrastructure of single chloroplasts. The regreening process was much faster then the degradation; total greening of the cells occurred within four days. The rate of regeneration depended on the nitrogen content. At least 50% of the normal nitrogen content of Tris-Acetate-Phosphate (TAP) medium was required in the medium for the complete regreening of the cells and regeneration of chloroplasts.

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Abbreviations

Fv/Fm :

maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

Chl:

chlorophyll

CP43 and CP47:

core complex proteins of PSII

DG:

degreening process

P680:

primary electron donor of PSII

RG:

regreening process

TAP:

Tris-Acetate-Phosphate

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Anatomy, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary

    É. Preininger, A. Kósa, Z. S. Lőrincz, J. Simon, B. Böddi, Á. Keresztes & I. Gyurján

  2. Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Plant Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary

    P. Nyitrai

Authors
  1. É. Preininger
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  2. A. Kósa
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  3. Z. S. Lőrincz
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  4. P. Nyitrai
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  5. J. Simon
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  6. B. Böddi
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  7. Á. Keresztes
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  8. I. Gyurján
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Correspondence to É. Preininger.

Additional information

Acknowledgements: A. Kósa is grateful for the Ferenc Deák Scholarship of the Hungarian Ministry of Education and Culture (DFÖ 0021/2009). This work was supported by Richter Centennial Foundation.

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Preininger, É., Kósa, A., Lőrincz, Z.S. et al. Structural and functional changes in the photosynthetic apparatus of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii during nitrogen deprivation and replenishment. Photosynthetica 53, 369–377 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-015-0129-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-015-0129-y

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