Algal Biochemicals

Question 1

What composes a cyano cell wall?

Answer 1

A peptidoglycan layer composed of a variety of amino acids and 2 sugars.

1) N-acetylmuramic acid
2) N- acetylglucosimine

Question 2

What protects cyanophyta from desiccations?

Answer 2

Their “sheath”; composed of mucilage (polysaccharides and a number of amino acids) and cellulose.

Question 3

Ex of earliest EPS (extra polymeric substances)

Answer 3

Sheath of cyano; high molecular weight molecules composed of polysaccharides and proteins. Biofilm formation foundations.

Question 4

Inside the cyanobacteria protoplasm. (Thylakoids/Pigments)

Answer 4

Chl A
Phycobilisomes (4 types)
Some chl b
Carotenoids

Question 5

Inside the cyanobacteria protoplasm. (Ribosomes)

Answer 5

70s ribosomes (protein formers) throughout protoplasm but higher density in the center.

Question 6

Inside the cyanobacteria protoplasm. (N storage for cyanos)

Answer 6

Cyanophycin granules

Question 7

Inside the cyanobacteria protoplasm. (Carboxysoms)

Answer 7

CO2 fixing proteins; 2 types alpha and beta found in C non-limiting envs and C limiting env respectively. Also responsible for HCO3- fixation into CO2 to be fixed by rubisco.

Question 8

Inside the cyanobacteria protoplasm. (Polyphosphate bodies)

Answer 8

Storage of phosphates (similar to lipid storage in euks)

Question 9

Inside the cyanobacteria protoplasm. (Polyglucan granules)

Answer 9

Sugar granules present in actively photosynthesizing cyanos. Sugar has to go somewhere after it’s synthesized!
-Gas vacuoles are also found in the protoplasm

Question 10

Extra cellular biochemical contributions of cyanos.

Answer 10

• N fixers (some)
• Photosynthesizers (some)
• EPS generators
• Tactic movements that alter community photo and chemo (quorum sensing)
• Produce Toxins

Question 11

What toxins?!

Answer 11

• Neurotoxins: Alkaloids; block neuron transmission ex: anatoxin, saxotoxin
• Hepatotoxins: inhibit protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, leads to liver bleeding.
• Allelopathy: 1) Zebra Muscle and 2) Dino

Question 12

Rhodophyta: Industrial?

Answer 12

• Floridian starches; great storage products of sugars.
• Cell walls of multicellular reds are made of cellulose.
• Cell walls of unicellular reds are a matrix of sultanate polysaccharides AKA mucilage; 2 types.
  1) agar
  2) Carageenan

Question 13

Agar

Answer 13

• Only soluble in hot water
• Composed of agarose and agropectin (both polysaccharides)
• Used for gelling of foods, agar plates, cannings, thickening
• Inert carrier of drug products for ingestion and sometimes used as a laxative

Question 14

Carrageenan

Answer 14

• Not as sturdy as a gel vs agar; requires higher concentrations to solidify
• K- and lamda cargeenans are principle components
• More in the cosmetic side of industry but still used in foods.
• Known to inhibit HIV replication

Question 15

Chlorophyta cell walls are usually made of what?

Answer 15

Cellulose (most abundant polymer on earth)

Question 16

What is an eyespot?

Answer 16

Lipid droplets located within the chloroplast, govern photodetection and promote phototaxis.

Question 17

Lipid droplets can make up >__% of periplasmic mass.

Answer 17

40%

Question 18

Why are eyespots usually red?

Answer 18

From the carotenoids.

Question 19

What are the storage products in Euglenophyta?

Answer 19

Paramylon and chrysolaminarin. (Carbs similar to starches)

Question 20

Euglenophyta requires what?

Answer 20

Vitamin B

Question 21

What’s special about eyespot in euglenophyta?

Answer 21

It’s independent of chloroplast.

Question 22

Euglenophyta is _________ phototactic.

Answer 22

Negatively

Question 23

In Euglenophyta, the eyespot consists of lipid droplets sometimes up to ___.

Answer 23

50.

Question 24

What occurs under this Euglenophyta pellicle?

Answer 24

Musciferous bodies made up of water soluble polysaccharides. They are ejected to produce slime around cell. (more EPS)

Question 25

Chloroarachniophya (Biochemicals)

Answer 25

Amoeboid; predatory and are hypothesized to be chemotactic.

Question 26

What is special about pigments in crytophyta?

Answer 26

They vary with light intensity.

Question 27

What nutrients do cryptophyta require?

Answer 27

Vitamin B and Thiamin

Question 28

Where are the starch storage products found between?

Answer 28

Chloroplast membranes.

Question 29

Bad bad cryptophyta…

Answer 29

They are responsible for catfish kills in freshwater lakes on TX but no toxins were ever reported.

Question 30

Why does flagella vestibule open and close in cryptophyta?

Answer 30

Due to presence of protein Centrin.

Question 31

What do cryptos dire?

Answer 31

Ejectisome protein ribbons.

Question 32

Haptophyta blooms lead to what?

Answer 32

High levels of DMS. (Volatile)

Question 33

How does Haptos affect Salmon?

Answer 33

Salmon loss due to Prymnesium parvum bloom.

Question 34

Where is the rubisco in haptos derived from?

Answer 34

Proteiobacteria as opposed to cyanos. (Horizontal gene transfer)

Question 35

In Haptos what is calcification dependent on?

Answer 35

Photosynthetic success. (ATP -> NADPH needed for transport)

Question 36

Class Bacillariophyceae

Answer 36

• Diatoms storage products are lipids and chrysolaminarin.
• Unsaturated fatty acids defenses produce aldehydes in nature which are detrimental to developmental stages of invert predators.

Question 37

Dinophyta are thieves.

Answer 37

They can steal plastids from food sources!!

Question 38

If Dinos have eyespots, they are….

Answer 38

lipid basedf.

Question 39

Dino Nucleus?

Answer 39

Within the nucleus! Chromatin organization of later lineages so unique we call it dinokaryotic. Even nuclear division is more advances in this group.

Question 40

Dinophyta are bioluminescent…

Answer 40

Luciderin oxidized by luciferase enzyme.