C. Postius et al., LIGHT CAUSES SELECTION AMONG 2 PHYCOERYTHRIN-RICH SYNECHOCOCCUS ISOLATES FROM LAKE CONSTANCE, FEMS microbiology, ecology, 25(2), 1998, pp. 171-178
The phycoerythrin (PE)-rich unicellular cyanobacteria Synechococcus sp
p. strains BO 8808 and BO 9203, from the pelagic zone of Lake Constanc
e, exhibited different responses when cultured under low light and lig
ht stress conditions. Under light stress caused by continuous illumina
tion at elevated light intensity, strain BO 8808 ceased growth, the PE
/chlorophyll ratio was slowly reduced and the zeaxanthin content was s
ignificantly decreased. By contrast, strain BO 9203 grew faster under
high light compared to low light intensities. This strain responded to
increased light by a rapid reduction of the PE/chlorophyll ratio whil
e the zeaxanthin content remained constant. Both of these alterations
may have protecting effects for BO 9203 against light toxicity. In mix
tures of both strains, the predominance of the light-tolerant strain B
O 9203 was demonstrated by restriction fragment length polymorphism of
psbA genes under light stress conditions. Apparently, strain BO 9203,
isolated from an algal bloom in the spring, can core better with high
light intensities than strain BO 8808, isolated in the autumn. (C) 19
98 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Else
vier Science B.V.