Abstract
Light-mediated nitrogenase activity (NA) consistently occurred in one of four species of tropical marine ascidians (sea squirts) hosting the symbiotic alga Prochloron (prochlorophyta) among reef habitats located in Palau, Micronesia. NA was limited to intact colonies of Lissoclinum patella exclusively colonized by cells of Prochloron. Neither isolated viable cells of Prochloron nor ascidians free of Prochloron revealed NA, indicating a strong dependence on the intact symbiosis for creating conditions conductive to N2 fixation. The confinement of NA to L. patella may be related to both the oligotrophic habitat and the large colony size of this protochordate species. This is the first report of NA attributable to symbiotic alga residing in either an aquatic or a terrestrial animal.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Carlisle, D. B.: Vanadium and other metals in ascidians. Proc. R. Soc. B. (Lond.) 171, 31–42 (1968)
Ciereszko, L. S., E. M. Ciereszko, E. R. Harris and C. A. Lane: Vanadium content of some tunicates. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 8, 137–140 (1963)
Griffiths, D. J. and L. V. Thinh: Transfer of photosynthetically fixed carbon between the prokaryotic alga Prochloron and its ascidian host. Aust. J. mar. freshwat. Res. 34, 431–330 (1983)
Kellar, P. E.: A study of factors regulating N2 fixation in the Anabaena-Azolla symbiosis, New Zealand. MSc Thesis, Univ. of California, Davis 82 pp. 1979
Kott, P.: Algal-bearing didemnid ascidians in the Indo-west-Pacific. Mem. Qd Mus. 20, 1–49 (1980)
Lewin, R. A.: A marine Synechocystis (Cyanophyta, Chlorococcales) epizoic on ascidians. Phycologia 14, 153–160 (1975)
Lewin, R. A.: The Prochlorophytes. In: The Prokaryota, Vol. 1, pp 257–266. Ed. by M. P. Starr. Berlin: Springer Verlag 1981
Lewin, R. A. and N. W. Withers: Extraordinary pigment composition of a prokaryotic alga. Nature, Lond. 256, 735–737 (1976)
Newcomb, E. H. and T. D. Pugh: Blue-green algae associated with ascidians of the Great Barrier Reef. Nature, Lond. 253, 533–534 (1975)
Paerl, H. W. and P. E. Kellar: Nitrogen fixing Anabaena: physiological adaptations instrumental in maintaining surface blooms. Science, N.Y., 204, 620–622 (1979)
Paerl, H. W., K. L. Webb, J. Baker and W. J. Wiebe: Nitrogen fixation in waters. In: Ecology of nitrogen fixation, Vol. 1, pp 193–240. Ed. by W. J. Broughton. London: Oxford Press 1981
Patterson, G. M. and N. W. Withers: Laboratory cultivation of Prochloron, a tryptophan auxotroph. Science, N.Y. 217, 1934–1935 (1982)
Stanier, R. Y. and G. Cohen-Bazier: Phototrophic prokaryotes: the cyanobacteria. A. Rev. Microbiol. 31, 225–274 (1977)
Stewart, W. D. P., C. P. Fitzgerald and R. H. Burris: In situ studies on N2 fixation using the acetylene reduction technique. Proc. natl Acad. Sci., USA 58, 2072–2078 (1967)
Withers, N. W., R. S. Alberte, R. A. Lewin, J. P. Tornber, G. Britton and T. W. Goodwin: Carotenoids, chlorophyll-protein composition and photosynthetic unit size of Prochloron sp., a prokaryotic green alga. Proc. natl Acad. Sci., USA 75, 2301–2305 (1978)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by J. M. Lawrence, Tampa
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Paerl, H.W. N2 fixation (nitrogenase activity) attributable to a specific Prochloron (Prochlorophyta)-ascidian association in Palau, Micronesia. Marine Biology 81, 251–254 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393219
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393219