Studies of Chloroplast Development in Euglena. V. Pigment Biosynthesis, Photosynthetic Oxygen Evolution and Carbon Dioxide Fixation during Chloroplast Development 2,2 Arthur I. Stern,3 Jerome A. Schiff, and H. T. Epstein Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts Our studlies wvith Euglena (2, 6, 14, 19, 20) have suggestedl that dark-grown cells containi approximately 30 proplastids whiclh develop into about 10 chloroplasts xvhen the cells are exposed to light. The existence of these proplastids, originally inferred from studlies on ultraviolet inactivation ain(l photoreactivation of chloroplast formiiation (14, 19). was confirimie(I by fluorescence ani(I electron miiicroscopy (2, 6). Other workers have stu(lie(l some of the initial steps invTolved wvhen dlark-groxvn cells are exposed to light, suclh as the conversion of protochlorophyll to chlorophyll (17). Other studies also exist of the related problemii of the physiology of chloroplast development in highler plants (3, 7, 23, 27). Our earlier vork (20) also showed that chloroplast development in Euglena could be separated experimentally into 2 phases: replication of the system which nmanufactures the chloroplast ancI development of the proplastid into the mature chloroplast. In this study x-e correlate the onset and kinetics of pigment formlation., O. evolution and COi. fixation with the developmilenit of the proplastid inito the mature chloroplast. Materials and Methods GroTl/t of Euglenia. Euigleina gracilis var. bacillaris Prinlgslheim (14) xv-as maintained aseptically in the (lark at 250, for 1 year in 250-ml Erlenmeyer flasks containiing 100 ml of Hutner's meclium pH 3.5 (10) xvith 5-ml transfers every 3 days. The starting dark-grown stock maintainedl in culture wN-as laboratory for over 2 years (14). The imiiportance of prolonged dark groxvtlh to entirely deplete chlorophyll and chloroplast structures has been repeatedly emlphasized (14, 17); our dark-grown cells contain protochlorophyll ancI proplastids and lack chloroplasts and chlorophyll completely. All manipulations xvere carried out under a green safelight in a (larkroolmi as described I)reviously (14). a our Received revised manuscript July 15, 1963. This work was supported in part by research grant RG-6344 from the Division of Research Graiits, Public Health Service. The data are taken from a dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty of Brandeis University by A. I. Stern in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the PhD degree. 3During the tenure of this xvork A. I. Stern wvas supported by a training grant in Developmenital Biology, 2G-883, from the National Institutes of Healtlh. 1 2 All light-grown cultures of wild type an(Ci mlutailt cells with the exception of Y,BXD were grown as lescribedI previously (14). Y,BXD is a slow growilng mlutant witlh a rather higlh reversioni rate wNhich is grown under al)proximatelv 100 ft-c of lighlt for 3 to 4 weeks on the surface of pH 3.5 in3e(liumii solidifie(d with agar containie(l in lhorizonltal Roux bottles. Nor experimiienits with nondividing cells, a restillg e(liumi was deevise(d containing (0.054-.t) mlannitol, (0.01h[) MIgCl, an(d (0.01M\) KH,PO, per liter. It lhas been shown that miiaininitol is not utilized as a carbon source for grow tli hv1 Euglenia (S. H. Hutner, personial communication ) and(lwhile cells suspendle(d in tlis miiediunm (loi)ot (livide, thev retain their viabilitv for long perio(ds of timie (75%,c after 30 days.) FXor the (lescribe(d experinments 10 mlil of a 3-day ol(d lark-grown culture were initro(luced inlto 1 liter of growth minediunm or 200 nil -xvere ititro(luced into 500 ml of resting miie(liuml anlel these wvere placed on a rotary shaker in tlle (lark for 70 lhours after whiclh the cultures containe(d about 106 cells per ml, and the cells in resting mie(diumii lhad ceasecl to divide. Tenml aliquots were tlhen transferre(d aseptically inlto 10-cmii sterile glass petri (lishes whiclh were then ex1ose(l to 100 ft-c, the optimal intensity for chloroplast (levelopment (24), provided by a fixed light source comp)osed of 20-w GE w-hite fluorescent lamps and(l measure(I by meanis of a \Veston Illuminiation Meter mo(lel 756. At appropriate tinmes, samlples were withdrawn for cell counlts, the cells wvere harvestedl by centrifugation at 1000 X g for 10 imiinutes and xvere x-aslhedI once with 0.1.m bicarbonate buffer (0.065.r NaHCO3 an(l 0.035'm KHCO,) pH 8.2 (18). This is referred to as "bicarbonate buffer! throughlout the text. 02 Determiiixzatioaw. To mieasure °2 evolutioin, 10 to 20 X 106 cells vere suspend(led in a total of 3 nml of 0.1 a bicarbonate buffer in \Warburg vessels. 'Measuremlenits xvere carriedl out in a glass bottolmi Amiinco Illuminiated \N'arburg apparatus at 260 xwith 150-\\x Sylvania Projector Spotlamps as the light source. I)uplicate flasks xvere used in all experimlents, one l)eiig wrapped in alumiiinumii foil to serve as the (lark control in order to correct for respiration. All flasks were flushed withi 5%c/ CO2 in air for 15 mlilnutes in the (lark and were theln subjected to illuminationl of 2500 ft-c xhich xvas found to be saturating for photosynithetic 0° evolution at all dexvelopmental stages. 220 Downloaded from on June 14, 2017 - Published by www.plantphysiol.org Copyright © 1964 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved. 221 STERN ET AL.-PLASTID DEVELOPMENT, PHOTOSYNTHETIC PARAMETERS In most experiments, measurements were taken over the course of 2 hours but in computing the rates only the initial slopes over 30 minutes were taken to minimize errors due to additional development of the chloroplasts under the high light intensities. CO2 Fixationt. In experiments where incorporation of C1402 was measured concomitantly with 02 evolution, the following modifications were introduced. After flushing the flasks containing 2.5 ml of cell suspension in 0.1AO bicarbonate buffer, 0.1 ml of radioactive bicarbonate solution was introduced into the side-arnm of the flasks by attaching a short piece of rubber tubing to the vent and drawing a negative pressure on the manometer while the solution was introduced from a pipette into the tubing (M. Gibbs, personal conmmunication). In the same manner, the radioactive solution was rinsed into the side arm with a total of 0.4 ml of 0.1MA bicarbonate buffer. The radioactive solution contained NaHC1403 (specific activity 5 mc/nmmole) adjusted to give between 6 and 8 X 106 cpm per 0.1 ml of solution. After tipping-in the contents of the side arm, the flasks were equilibrated for 10 nminutes before turning on the lights. 02 evolution was followed manometrically and after 30 minutes of light exposure, the cells were harvested by centrifuging in the cold in a Servall angle head centrifuge at 3500 X g for 10 minutes. The cells were washed once with ice water and were brought to a convenient volume. Aliquots containing about 5 X 106 cells were then taken for digestion by the wet oxidation method for Calvin et al. (4). The BaCO3 precipitate was counted with an end window gas flow Atomic Instrument used in the proportional range and corrected to infinite thickness by means of a standard curve. After all nmanomletry experiments aliquots were taken and the cells harvested, covered with a pinch of MgCO3, and the pigments were extracted with acetone until no color remaine(d in the cell pellet. The extracts were brought to a known volume and their absorbancy was measured in a Cary model 14 recording spectrophotometer. Chlorophyll concentrations were determined by the method of Mackinney (15) and carotenoid concentrations were estimated from the absorbancy at 475 m,u using an average extinction coefficient of Elerl = 2500 (N. I. Krinsky, personal communication). In some experiments pigment concentrations were measured before the Warburg measurements but no significant difference was detected between these and the post-Warburg measurements. Aliquots for cell counts received a drop of saturated HgCl2 to fix the cells and were counted in a Spencer Bright-Line hemocytometer. Results 80 hours of development (2). The first parameters have correlated with this developmental sequence pigment concentrations. Total chlorophyll and carotenoids per cell increase markedly during development and the chlorophyllcarotenoid ratio increases steadily until a final stationary value of 2.5: 1 (mole/mole) is reached at about 72 hours (fig 1, right). 02 evolution per cell shows essentially similar kinetics (fig 1, left). Difficulties in measurement were encountered at very early times of development since the rates of 02 evolution in these cells were at or below the limit of resolution of the manometric apparatus. Table I contains data for early times of development. The earliest developmental stage for which reliable 02 evolution data have been obtained here is about 10 hours, so we conclude that the actual inception point for photosynevolution is somewhat earlier than this. On thetic the other hand, chlorophyll is formed immediately on exposure to light (table I). The amount of chlorophyll formed after 2 hours of light exposure is not stoichiometric with the protochlorophyll content of dark-grown cells since about 3 X 10- 3 picograms (pg) of protochlorophyll per dark-grown cell are formed and the chlorophyll concentrations noted here represent a 10-fold increase. This suggests an initial synthesis of chlorophyll which is followed by resynthesis of more protochlorophyll and conversion to chlorophyll. Chlorophyll synthesis then proceeds slowly, if at all, until about 10 hours when further significant synthesis begins. In contrast, the carotenoids do not appear to increase during these early times of development. Krinsky (personal communication) has found, however, that there may be some we are 02 Table I 02 Evolution, C1402 Fixation, aild Pigmient Formation Time in hrs 0 02/cell (pl)/hr picoliters 0.60 0 0 .... .... + 0.50 + 1.20 0 0 - 0.50 + 2 0.05 .... + 0.40 + 0.40 0 0 - 0.19 .... - 4 C1402 fixed cpm X 104 mgC/hr 6 8 + 1.00 + 1.00* 10 + 0.76* 11 + 1.00* .... + 1.66* + 0.31 Pigmnent SYnthesis and 0 Evolution. On exposure to light, proplastids in dark-grown cells begin to increase in size (2, 6). By 15 hours each plastid contains approximately 6 lamellae. Thereafter, lamella formation is linear with time until a fully mature plastid containing 13 lamellae is found at about at Early Stages of Chloroplast Development These cells were suspended in the mannitol medium and exposed to 100 to 150 ft-c. * Significant (based on Warburg per hour). 1,052 3,460 .... 4,706 15,836 14,348 pg 0 0 0 0.02 0.07 0.03 0.02 0.09 0.07 0.10 0.14 0.19 0.22 0.25 0.33 0.21 0.16 0.19 0.20 0.15 0.15 .... .... 0.23 0.47 change of 10 ,ul or .... a chl/cell carotenoid/ cell pg Downloaded from on June 14, 2017 - Published by www.plantphysiol.org Copyright © 1964 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved. 0.25 0.19 0.29 0.26 0.23 0.26 0.24 more in the 222 PLANT PHYSIOLOGY qualitative differences in the carotenoids of these cells at this time. Nishimura and Huzisige (17) found a lag period of about 15 hours in Euglena before net synthesis of chlorophyll in dark-grown cells exposed to light could be measured. The apparent differences in the 2 laboratories nmay be due to culture conditions. Besides growing their cells on a different mediunm (butyric acid and glutamate as carbon sources), the resting meedium Nishimura and Huzisige employed containedl only phosphate buffer. High light intensities of about 880 ft-c were also used to induce chlorophyll synthesis and nmay have affected the cells' ability to formii chlorophyll (24). Photosynthetic 02 evolution on a chloropllyll basis is shown on the left side of figure 1. 02 evolution is high on a chlorophyll basis, initially, and later declines to a steady state value. This may reflect qualitative changes in the chlorophylls as the cells develop photosynthetic capacity. Chlorophylls with varied abilities to mediate 02 evolution may be produced unequally at first but may reaclh equilibriumii values at later stages of development. Figure 1 also shows that the kinetics of pigment formation and 02 evolution are unaffected by the presence or absence of divisi'on. Nondividing cells develop as well as dividing cells. This would suggest that most materials necessary for clhloroplast synthesis alrea(ly exist in the (lark-growni cells. Dark-grown cells exhibit pronminent paramylon bodies which are composed of polymeric glucose (13) uponl which they can probably draw as a carboni source. Mutants. The photosynthetic comlpetence of various light-grown chloroplast mutanits of Euglena was also measured in an effort to correlate the extent of chloroplast development in these mlutants vith the normal sequence. Figure 2 shows the (lata for: P1BXL, Y1BXD, Y2BUL, Y3BUD and N3BUL and a description of these mutants is found in table II. For comparison, data are shown in figure 2 for wild type cells in which chloroplast developnmenit has been limited by low light intensities of 7 ft-c (24), and( wild type cells at 24 and 48 lhours of dlevelopment at normal intensities. Of the mutanits, P1BXL, which forms normal-size(d chloroplasts, is the only onie Nvhich 21.MANN ITOL I15 CM) X a I° IId 21EUGLENA MEDIUM 4 21 C.) n~~~~~~~~~~~~ / o 0 3 0 3 / 2 =o2~~~~~~~/CELLo °-02/CHL. O: 40 60 80 20 100 TIME AT 100-150 F.C. (HRS.) 20 40 60 80 100 TIME AT 100-150 F.C. (HRS.) FIG. 1. Photosynthetic capacities and pigment contents of Euglena during chloroplast development. Dark-grown cells were exposed to optimum light intensity at zero time and aliquots taken for measurement at the times indlicated. Data are shown for nondividing cells (mannitol medium) and for dividing cells (Euglena medium). Downloaded from on June 14, 2017 - Published by www.plantphysiol.org Copyright © 1964 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved. .~ STERN ET AL.-PLASTID DEVELOPMENT, PhIOTOSYNTHETIC PARANIETERS exhibits significant photosynthetic 02 evolutionl. This is not surprising since these plastids contain patches of normal lamellae. The other mutants which are blocked at early stages in development (Y1BXD and Y3BUD) have not developed photosynthetic coImlpetence. Those mutants which lack chloroplast structures entirely even when growvn in the light (Y2BUL and W3BUL), of course, never become photosynthetically active, nor do they form any chlorophyll. The cells limited by low light intensity (7 ft-c) are similar to cells which have developed at normal intensity (100 ft-c) for 48 hours as far as their pigments and photosynthetic competence is concerne(l, reaching levels of about 50% of nornmal (24). There is goodl correlation, then, between the presence of morphological structures necessary for photosynthesis and the photosynthetic competence of the cells. It would seem that photosynthetic competence is limlited to those cells which display at least a partial comlplenment of lamellae. CO2 Fixationi. Another crucial inclicator of a cell's photosynthetic competence is its ability to fix CO, in the light. To correlate this with the morphological development of the chloroplast, C1402 fixation -as nmeasured as a function of time for dark-grown cells placed at the optimal intensity under nondividing conditions (fig 3). Since the experiments were performied in \Varburg vessels, 02 evolution was mea- -J I 0 z GREEN z zo 0 lL 0 IC 0 0 GREENN a80o 60 LUJ A-J 0 80- -j-_J -Joz 0 10 -i 0) Zr. 40Q 0 223 Jul Ji Joz 0QF40J -)J uJ uJoIzt O J o 0 ' s FIG. 2. Comparison of the photosynthetic capacity and pigment contents of mutants and other cells limited in chloroplast development. For a description of the mutants see table II. Development in wild type cells at 7 ft-c is limited by light intensity (24). Wild type cells at 100 to 150 ft-c were measured at 24 and 48 hours by the same methods as in figure 1. All values are expressed as a per cent of wild type cells grown at optimal light intensity. In all cases the values for dark-grown cells (DK) have been taken as the zero poiIlts. Data for maximal 02 evolution cell/hour, chlorophyll/cell, carotenoid/cell, chlorophyll/carotenoid (mole/mole) and 02 evolution on a chlorophyll basis (pl/pg) are shown. Downloaded from on June 14, 2017 - Published by www.plantphysiol.org Copyright © 1964 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved. 224 PLANT PHYSIOLOGY Table II I)DsignationI of Mllnttants Derived fromii Euglcnta gracilis var. bacillaris Strain Description of Light-grown cells P1BXL X-ray induced pale green, isolated in the light and which by fluorescence and electron microscopy* appears to cointaini normal-sized chloro- Y1BXD X-ray induced yellow, isolated in the dark and wlhich by fluorescence microscopy appears not to develop beyond a very early (12 hr) stage in chloroplast development. Ultraviolet induced yellow, isolated in the light and which by fluorescence and electron microscopy appears to lack chloroplasts com- plasts which lack some or groups of lamellae. Y2BUL pletely. Y 3BUD 'Ultraviolet induced yellow, isolated in the dark and which is very similar morphologically to Y ,BXD. W3P,IL, 'Ultraviolet induced albino, isolated inl the light and which by fluorescenice microscopy appears to lack chloroplasts. * Electron micrographs of these mutanits x-ill be publislhed in a forthcom,niing paper. sured concomitantly andl these (lata are also shown in this figure. It was found that as little as 6 hours of liglht exposure permitted the cells to fix significant anmounts of C1402 as is seen in table I. The photosynthetic quotient was already approxinmately one by 15 hours of development. The kinetics of CO2 fixation are sinilar to those of 02 evolution and pigment formation (fig 1) and in all cases, the kinetics are essentially linear after the initial lag. The kinetics of lamiiella fornmation is also linear from about 14 hours onwards, 1 lamella being formed about every 11 hours (2). If lamella formation and the development of photosynthetic competence are linked, it should be possible to compute each of the parameters measured on an 1 1 hour (or lamella) basis from the slopes in figures 1 and 3. Fronm these values their plateau values can be predicted ( xvhich slhoul(d be 7.5 times any one rate since about 7.5 lamiellae are produced from the time at w hiclh linear kinetics begins to the time at which the chloroplast is complete(d (2). When this calculation is made, a close agreement is found with the experimental values obtained, as is seen (table III). The Table III Coiniparison1 of Predicted anid Experimtenttal Levels Attaimied for V"arionis Photosynithetic Paramietcrs ditrinzg Chloroplast Developmlent Theoretical* (expecte(d at 72 Parameter Experimental hrs) ( 2 evolution (pl/cell/hr) C1402 Fixation (cpm/mgC/hr) Chlorophyll (pg/cell) Carotenoid (pg/cell) * Computed from the rate of text). 21 370 X 103 16 3.7 20-22 300 x 10" 12-14 2.8-4.0 lamella formation (see lanmella has been imlplicated as the site of photosyintlhesis on the basis of its structural presence in the chloroplast, its association with pigments and the fact that chloroplasts lacking lamellae are uinable to photosynthesize (26, 28). These data, inclu(dinig those for the mutaints, suggest that this interpretation is valid for Euglenia. Discussion - 0 6 x E r 0 I- E I x '- 0 w c0 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 TIME AT 100-150 F.C. (HRS.) FIG. 3. Photosynthetic CO, fixation and 120 02 evolution1 in Euglena during cholorplast development. Dark-grown cells were exposed to optimum light intensity at zero time and aliquots taken for measurement at the times indicated. Data are shown for noindividinig cells (mannitol medium). Our findinigs in this study agree vell with those foundl wvith other organisms, especially higher plants. Phlotosynthesis in Euglena is correlated witlh the appearance an(l the development of the lamellae. After a lag of about 6 hours, dark-grown cells exhibit photosynthetic capacity and electron micrographs (2, 6) reveal that the proplastids are already undlergoing structural chainges during this time. In higher plants, etiolatedl leaves exposed to light also experience a lag perio(l, although slhorter (about 1-3 hours), before photosynthetic activity is measurable. Mfaly laboratories ( 1, 5 8, 11, 12, 16, 22, 23, 28) have repIorte(l the various changes in the proplasti(ds induce(d witlh light and Ino doubt these are also relevent to Euglena. Photosynthesis has been correlated wvitlI the formation of chlorophyll a in higher plants (3, 23), in particular the C677 form of chlorophyll, thought to be the chlorophyll-protein complex normally foundl in green leaves (7). This form of chlorophyll does not appear until 30 to 60 minutes after illunmination (21), so the C677 may be require(I before Downloaded from on June 14, 2017 - Published by www.plantphysiol.org Copyright © 1964 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved. STERN ET AL.-PLASTID DEVELOPMENT, PHOTOSYNTHETIC PARAMETERS photosynthesis is initiated and it may also be a limiting factor in the developmental sequence. There is also evidence correlating the synthesis of chlorophyll and the formation of grana in higher plants. The latter process is light dependent but lamella discs have been observed to form in the dark (11, 28, 29). Plants can accumulate some chlorophyll without the formation of grana and it is possible that chlorophyll synthesis may control grana formation. These results are not inconsistent with our findings for Euglena. Euglena forms no grana and the mature chloroplast consists only of lamellae which contain the photosynthetic pigments, and a pyrenoid region. Because of this, the entire chloroplast in Euglena has been compared to a single granum of higher plant chloroplasts (9, 25). In higher plants (3) the formation of pigments and development of photosynthetic ability are nonlinear with time. In Euglena our studies shoxv that formation of lamellae appears to be linear with time and this is reflected in the linear kinetics for the appearance of pigments and photosynthetic capacity. This does not settle the question of which parameter actually controls development. Chlorophyll synthesis may limit the formation of lamellae or the reverse may be equally true. Indeed, some unknown third parameter may control both. Until Euglena mu,tants are available which are selectively blocked for either pigment or lamella formiiation, this will be difficult to answer since both processes are light dependent and might have the sanme action spectrum (17). Summary Measurements have been obtained of the photosynthetic capacity of dark-grown cells of Euiglena gracilis var. bacillaris Pringsheim exposed to optimal light intensities (100 ft-c). These include values for oxygen evolution, carbon dioxide fixation, and pigment synthesis as a function of time in the light in dividing and nondividing cells. There is an initial 6 to 8 hour lag in the rates of increase of all photosynthetic parameters when dark-grown cells are placed in the light. This is followed by essentially linear kinetics for all parameters until about 80 hours, when these values are equivalent to those found for lightgrown cells. The kinetics of appearance for all photosynthetic parameters are the same for dividing and nondividing cells. The onset of linear kinetics for all photosynthetic measurements is correlated with the linear formation of the chloroplast lamellae and the rates of all parameters are the same as the rate of lamella formation. Various mutants limited at different stages in chloroplast development were also tested for their capacity to photosynthesize and a correlation was found between photosynthetic ability and the extent of chloroplast development. Literature Cited 1. BARTELS, F. 1955. Cytologische Studien an Leukoplasten uniterirdischer Pflanzenorgane. Planta 45: 426-54. 225 2. BEN-SHAUL, Y., J. A. SCHIFF, AND H. T. EPSTEIN. 1964. Studies of chloroplast development in Euglena. VII. Fine structure of the developing plastid. Plant Physiol. 39: 231-40. 3. BLAAUW-JANSEN, G., J. G. KOMEN, AND J. B. THOMAS. 1950. On the formation of assimilatory pigments and the rate of photosynthesis in etiolated oat seedlings. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 5: 179-85. 4. CALVIN, M., C. HEIDELBERGER, J. C. REID, B. M. TOLBERT, AND P. F. YANKWICH. 1949. Isotopic Carbon. J. Wiley and Sons, New York. 5. DE DEKEN-GRENsON, M. 1954. Grana formation and the synthesis of chloroplast proteins induced by light in portions of eliolated leaves. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 14: 203-11. 6. EPSTEIN, H. T. AND J. A. SCHIFF. 1961. Studies of chloroplast development in Euglena. IV. Electron and fluorescence microscopy of the proplastid and its development into a mature chloroplast. J. Protozool. 8: 427-32. 7. GABRIELSEN, E. K., A. MADSEN, AND K. VEJLBY. 1961. Induction of photosynthesis in etiolated leaves. Physiol. Plantarum 14: 98-110. 8. GRANICK, S. 1938. Chloroplast nitrogen of some higher plants. Am. J. Botany 25: 561-67. 9. GRANICK, S. 1957. Chloroplast structure and its relation to photosynthesis. In: Research in Photosynthesis. H. Gaffron et al. eds. Interscience, New York. p 459-93. 10. GREENBLArr, C. L. AND J. A. SCHIFF. 1959. A Pheophytin-like pigment in dark-adapted Euglena gracilis. J. Protozool. 6: 23-28. 11. HODGE, A. J., J. D. McLEAN, AND F. V. MERCER. 1956. A possible mechanism for the morphogenesis of lamellar systems in plants. J. Biophys. Biochem. Cytol. 2: 597-608. 12. KoSKI, V. M. 1950. Chlorophyll formation in seedlings of Zea mays L. Arch. Biochem. 29: 339-47. 13. KREGER, D. R. AND B. J. D. MEEUSE. 1952. X-ray diagrams of Euglena-paramylon, of the acid-insoluble glucan of yeast cell walls and of laminarin. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 9: 699-700. 14. LYMAN, H., H. T. EPSTEIN, AND J. A. SCHIFF. 1961. Studies of chloroplast development in Euglena. I. Inactivation of green colony formation by UV light. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 50: 301-09. 15. MACKINNEY, G. 1941. Absorption of light by chlorophyll solutions. J. Biol. Chem. 140: 315-22. 16. MUIHLETHALER, K. AND A. FREY-WYSSLING. 1959. Entwicklung and Struktur der Proplastiden. J. Biophys. Biochem. Cytol. 6: 507-12. 17. NISHIMURA, M. AND H. HuZISIGE. 1959. Studies on the chlorophyll formation in Euglenia gracilis with special reference to the action spectrum of the process. J. Biochem. 46: 225-34. 18. PRArr, R. 1943. Studies on Chlorella vutlgaris. VIII. Influence on photosynthesis of prolonged exposure to sodium bicarbonate and potassium bicarbonate. Am. J. Botany 30: 626-29. 19. SCHIFF, J. A., H. LYMAN, AND H. T. EPSTEIN. 1961. Studies of chloroplast development in Euglena. II. Photoreversal of the UV inhibition of green colony formation. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 50: 310-18. 20. SCHIFF, J. A., H. LYMAN, AND H. T. EPSTEIN. 1961. Studies of chloroplast development in Euglena. III. Experimental separation of chloroplast Downloaded from on June 14, 2017 - Published by www.plantphysiol.org Copyright © 1964 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved. 226 PLANT PHYSIOLOGY development and chlioroplast replication. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 51: 340-46. SHIBATA, K. 1957. Spectroscopic studies oln chlorophyll formation in intact leaves. J. Biochem. 44: 147-73. SMITH, J. H. C., C. S. FRENCH, AND V. M/. KoSKI. 1952. The Hill reaction: development of chloroplast activity during greening of etiolated barley leaves. Plant Physiol. 27: 212-13. SMITH, J. H. C. 1954. The development of chlorophyll and 02 evolving power in etiolated barley leaves wheni illuminated. Plant Physiol. 29: 14348. STERN, A. I., H. T. EPSTEIN, AND J. A. SCHIFF. 1964. Studies of chloroplast development in Eugleina. VI. Light intensity as a conitrollinig factor 21. 22. 23. 24. in developmenit. Plant Physiol. 39: 226-31. 25. THOMAS, J. B. 1955. Structure anid funictioni of the chloroplast. Progr. Biophys. Biophys. Cheni. 5: 109-39. 26. THOMAS, J. B. 1960. Chloroplast structure. In: Encylopedia of Plant Plhysiol. W. Ruhland et al. eds. Springer. Berlin, Germany. p 53446. 27. TOLBERT, N. E. AND F. B. GAILEY. 1955. CO., fixation by etiolated planlts after exposure to Nvhite light. Plant Physiol. 30: 491-99. 28. \oN WETTSTEIN, D. 1958. Fornmationi of plastid structures. Brookhaveni Symp. in Biol. 11: 13859. 29. \rON WETTSTEIN, D. 1961. 'Nuclear anid cytoplasmic factors in development of clholorplast structure anid funictionl. Can. J. Botaniy 39: 1537-45. Studies of Chloroplast Development in Euglena. VI. Light Intensity as a Controlling Factor in Development 1, 2 Arthur I. Stern,3 H. T. Epstein, and Jerome A. Schiff Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts In a previous paper (13) we described the kinetics of appearance of pigments and photosynthetic capacity in dark-grown Euglena when the development of proplastids into chloroplasts was induced with optimal intensities of light. These processes were shown to be strongly correlated with the development of lamella structures within the chloroplasts. During the course of this work it became apparent that the developmental process is strongly influenced by light intensity. The present paper describes the extent to which light intensity controls the formation of chloroplast structure, pigments and photosynthetic capacity. Materials and Methods Euiglena gracilis var. bacillaris Pringsheimii was grown as described previously (13) andl all techniques for measuring 02 evolution, CO2 fixation, pigment content, and cell numbers were also the same. Tennml aliquots of cells were transferred aseptically into Received revised manuscript July 15, 1963. This work was supported in part by research grant RG-6344 from the Division of Research Grants, Public Health Service. The data are taken from a dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty of Brandeis University by A. I. Stern in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the PhD degree. 3 During the tenure of this work A. I. Stern was supported by a training grant in Developmental Biology, 2G-883, from the National Institutes of Health. I 2 10-cm sterile glass petri dislhes which wxere then exposed to various light intensities. Intenisities of 4 to 700 ft-c (as measured with a \Veston illumination meter) were obtained with Koclak neutral (lensity filters or by varyiing the distance froml the fixe(d light source compose(d of 20-w- GE white fluorescent lamllps. All experimiienits were carrie(l out at 260. Results and Discussion Light Intensity and Photoswithetic Paramieters. To define the optimial conditions for chloroplast developm-nentt. dark-grow-n cells rvere expose(d to intensities froml 7 to 700 ft-c for 100 hours. Since previous experimenits had slhowx n that development proceeds normally undler nondividinlg conditions (13), mannitol resting mle(liunm was used in all experinments. Figure 1 shows that 0., evolution anlld pigimlent formation reach maximiial levels in the regioni of 100 ft-c all(n higher intensities are inhibitory. At tile lowest intensity mleasured (7 ft-c) -, evolution andl pigimlent production are only about 50% of tile mlaximlum, although 0 evolution on a chlorophyll basis andl the chlorophyll-carotenoid ratios (mole/lmole) are equivalent to those in the cells developing at the optimal intensity. A similar pattern w%as found for CO2 fixation. Dark-grown cells which had developed at 7 ft-c for about 100 hours, fixed 165 and 180 X 103 cpml/ mg C/hour in separate experimlellts or app)roximllately Downloaded from on June 14, 2017 - Published by www.plantphysiol.org Copyright © 1964 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.
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