Osmotic-stress-induced synthesis and degradation of inorganic polyphosphates in the alga Phaeodactylum tricornutum

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 121:279-288 (1995) - doi:10.3354/meps121279 Osmotic-stress-induced synthesis and degradation of inorganic polyphosphates in the alga Phaeodactylumtricornutum Leitão JM, Lorenz B, Bachinski N, Wilhelm C, Müller WEG, Schröder HC The potential role of inorganic polyphosphates in the response of algal cells to osmotic stress was investigated. We show that changes in polyphosphate metabolism of algae induced by osmotic stress can be easily determined by measuring the metachromatic shift of toluidine blue produced by polyphosphate and by analysing the size of the extracted polyphosphate on urea/polyacrylamide gels. The amount and size of polyphosphate were found to differ considerably among different algal species. It is demonstrated that the alga Phaeodactylumtricornutum responds to hyperosmotic stress with a marked elongation of polyphosphate molecules and a decrease in the total amount of extractable polyphosphate, while exposure to hypoosmotic stress results in an increase in soluble shorter-chain polyphosphates and a rise in total polyphosphate content. Polyphosphate . Osmotic stress . Polyphosphate metabolism . Algae . Phaeodactylum tricornutum Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 121. Publication date: May 25, 1995 Print ISSN:0171-8630; Online ISSN:1616-1599 Copyright © 1995 Inter-Research.