Pj. Neale et al., Ultraviolet sunscreens in Gymnodinium sanguineum (Dinophyceae): Mycosporine-like amino acids protect against inhibition of photosynthesis, J PHYCOLOGY, 34(6), 1998, pp. 928-938
Marine phytoplankton are sensitive to inhibition of photosynthesis by solar
ultraviolet (UV) radiation, although sensitivity varies, depending on the
growth environment. A mechanism suggested to increase resistance to UV inhi
bition is the accumulation of UV-absorbing compounds, such as the mycospori
ne-like amino acids (MAAs) found in many marine organisms. However, the eff
ectiveness of these compounds as direct optical screens in microorganisms h
as remained unclear. The red-tide dinoflagellate Gymnodinium sanguineum Hir
asaka accumulates about 14-fold more MAAs (per unit of chlorophyll) in high
(76 W.m(-2)) than in low (15 W.m(-2)) growth irradiance. Biological weight
ing functions were estimated for UV inhibition of photosynthesis and showed
that the high-light-grown cultures have lower sensitivity to UV radiation
at wavelengths strongly absorbed by the MAAs. The time course of photosynth
esis during exposure to UV radiation was measured using pulsed amplitude mo
dulated (PAM) fluorometry and displayed a steady-state level after 15 min o
f exposure, indicating active repair of damage to the photosynthetic appara
tus. Repair was blocked in the presence of the antibiotic streptomycin, yet
high-light G. sanguineum remained less sensitive to UV radiation than did
low-light cultures. These experiments show that MAAs act as spectrally spec
ific UV/sunscreens in phytoplankton.