Abstract
Iron and nitrogen (NO3 and NH4) uptake by the red tide dinoflagellateGymnodinium sanguineum Hirasaka were studied in 1988 in Fe-replete and Fe-deplete batch cultures. Saturated rates of Fe transport (ϱ, mol l−1 cell vol h−1) for cultures grown on NO3 or NH4 were measured following resuspension in either N source (i.e., NO3 or NH4). Enhanced Fe uptake capacity developed under Fe stress, and was manifested in all experiments except in that involving a transition from NH4 to NO3 nutrition. Suppression appears to have resulted from a reduced ability of NH4-grown cultures to utilize nitrogen in the form of NO3, thereby causing cells to remain nutritionally stressed (with respect to N rather than Fe, however). Supporting evidence was provided by the complete initial inhibition of NO3 uptake when Fe-deplete, NH4-grown cells were given saturating iron additions. When NH4 was supplied continuously (i.e., no N source transition), NH4-grown cells showed the greatest iron-stressmediated enhancement (i.e., Fe-replete vs Fe-deplete) of Fe transport (2.5-fold) accompanied immediately by NH4 uptake. Our findings are considered in relation to the potential consequences for this dinoflagellate of reduced iron bioavailability and available nitrogen source.
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Communicated by J. Grassle, New Brunswick
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Doucette, G.J., Harrison, P.J. Aspects of iron and nitrogen nutrition in the red tide dinoflagellateGymnodinium sanguineum . Mar. Biol. 110, 175–182 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01313702
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01313702