A PROCEDURE TO ESTIMATE OKADAIC ACID IN WHOLE DINOFLAGELLATE CELLS USING IMMUNOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES

A single procedure to detect and estimate okadaic acid in isolated who le cells was developed based on immunofluorescence and microscope phot ometry. This procedure allows the study of variations in okadaic acid concentration per cell although it is no substitute for HPLC procedure s. Cells from mid-log exponential and stationary phase from two differ ent clonal cultures of the okadaic-acid-producing dinoflagellate Proro centrum lima (PI 5V and PI 7V) were analyzed. The results showed that: (1) cells from saturated phase cultures contain more okadaic acid tha n those from exponentially-growing mid-log phase; (2) genetic differen ces exist in okadaic acid production between the clones used; (3) okad aic acid is synthesized continuously during the whole cell cycle.