Aspects of the symbiosis between some marine microbes and their invertebrate hosts. [Prochloron; Riftia pachyptila; Tridacna gigas]

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5743202

Fisher, Jr, C R

Prochloron sp. isolated from Diplosoma virens and incubated in the light in NaH/sup 14/CO/sub 3/ demonstrated a high photosynthetic capacity (up to 3.7 ..mu..gC-..mu..g Chl. a/sup -1/.h/sup -1/). In vitro these cyanobacteria release a maximum of 7% of the /sup 14/C they fix in the light. Dark fixation was found to be maximally 3% of light fixation and release in the dark averaged 26% of the total /sup 14/C fixed in the dark. These data imply that the organic carbon released by these cyanobacteria may not be quantitatively important to the host. The labeled compound released by Prochloron in the light is glycolic acid. The major compounds produced by light and dark carbon fixation in Prochloron are identified, and similarities to other photosynthetic cyanobacteria are noted. Trophosome tissue was removed from Riftia pachyptila Jones and assayed for a variety of metabolic capabilities. Trophosome preparations from various worms oxidized methane at rates ranging from 43 to 304 ..mu..mole/g wet weight/h. The trophosome failed to reduce acetylene under a variety of conditions indicating that it lacks the ability to fix appreciable N/sub 2/. The effects of irradiance level and size on the rate of O/sub 2/ evolution and consumption was examined in Tridacna gigas using an oxygen electrode. Seven photosynthesis-irradiance (P-I) curves were generated for intact clams ranging from 1 to 23 cm in shell length. Both alpha and P/sub max/ decreased with increasing size of the clam. Oxygen evolution at 1000 ..mu..E.m/sup -2/.s/sup -1/ and consumption in the dark were measured for an additional 9 clams ranging up to 38 cm in shell length.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Santa Barbara (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5743202
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520101 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- Radiometric Techniques-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
550101* -- Behavioral Biology-- Tracer Techniques
550501 -- Metabolism-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ACETYLENE
ALKANES
ALKYNES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLAMS
CYANOBACTERIA
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GLYCOLIC ACID
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY ACIDS
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
METABOLISM
METHANE
MICROORGANISMS
MOLLUSCS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
RADIATIONS
SYMBIOSIS
SYNTHESIS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VISIBLE RADIATION