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Biological and Environmental Chemistry of DMSP and Related Sulfonium Compounds pp 121–129Cite as

Osmotic Adjustment in Phytoplankton and MacroAlgae

The Use of Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP)

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Summary

Salinity, next to light, temperature and nutrients, is one of the major abiotic factors affecting algal growth and distribution in various habitats. The osmotic balance is maintained by adjusting the cellular solute concentrations. Besides the ions K+, Na+ and CI-, which are controlled by selective ion transport, the synthesis, accumulation and degradation of organic osmolytes such as polyols, sugars, tertiary sulfonium and quaternary ammonium compounds are involved in regulation of osmotic pressure. Organic osmolytes act as compatible solutes, i.e. they generate a low water potential in the cytoplasm without incurring metabolic or membrane damage. DMSP is one of those compounds abundant in many algal classes, particularly in phytoplankton species containing chlorophyll a/c, and in macroalgae, mostly belonging to the chlorophyll a/b type. Although DMSP plays a role in osmotic adjustment, the change of its concentration according to osmotic demands is very slow. Usually, DMSP is already present in high concentrations thus providing a buffer capacity which may help to bridge transient stresses under salinity shock. One of the precursors in DMSP biosynthesis appears to be methionine, however, many steps in the synthesis still remain obscure. A DMSP lyase enzyme, which cleaves the compound into DMS and acrylic acid, has been shown to be present, and to exhibit high activities, in an increasing number of micro- and macroalgae.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Botany (FB 2: Biology), University of Bremen, P.O. Box 330 440, D-28334, Bremen, Germany

    G. O. Kirst

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  1. G. O. Kirst
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA

    Ronald P. Kiene

  2. University of Connecticut, Groton, Connecticut, USA

    Pieter T. Visscher

  3. Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, West Boothbay Harbor, Maine, USA

    Maureen D. Keller

  4. University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Gunter O. Kirst

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© 1996 Plenum Press, New York

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Kirst, G.O. (1996). Osmotic Adjustment in Phytoplankton and MacroAlgae. In: Kiene, R.P., Visscher, P.T., Keller, M.D., Kirst, G.O. (eds) Biological and Environmental Chemistry of DMSP and Related Sulfonium Compounds. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0377-0_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0377-0_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

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