PIGMENTS OF BATHYCOCCUS-PRASINOS (PRASINOPHYCEAE) - METHODOLOGICAL AND CHEMOSYSTEMATIC IMPLICATIONS

Bathycoccus prasinos Eikrem et Throndsen exhibited a complex carotenoi d distribution pattern including the carotenes beta,beta-carotene (0.8 % of total carotenoids) and beta, <-- carotene (0.4%) and several xant hophylls. These were prasinoxanthin (49% of total carotenoids), microm onal (16%), neoxanthin (14%), uriolide (7%), violaxanthin (0.8%), 3'-d ehydrouriolide (0.8%), dihydrolutein (0.1%) two partly characterized e sterified carotenols (together 10%), and five minor unidentified carot enols (together 2%). The identifications were based on high-performanc e liquid chromatography (HPLC), thin-layer chromatography (TLC) visibl e spectroscopy (VIS) and mass spectra (MS) and in part on H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), circular dichroism (CD), and chemical deriva tization. The carotenoid composition of B, prasinos was related to tha t of other prasinoxanthin /uriolide/ micromonal-producing prasinophyte s (Mantoniella squamata, Micromonas pusilla, and Pseudoscourfieldia ma rina). The relative distribution of chlorophylls (w/w) were chlorophyl l a (chi a; 63%), chi b (31%), and an unknown chl c-like chlorophyll ( 7%) with spectral characteristics similar to magnesium 2,4-divinylphae oporphyrin a, monomethyl ester, compatible with other prasinophytes. T he chemosystematic data and ultrastructural characteristics for the or der Mamiellales are discussed. We conclude that HPLC studies alone are insufficient for the identification and characterization of the carot enoids, including the minor carotenoids essential for biosynthetic/che mosystematic considerations.