The presence of UV-A (320-360 nm) absorbing substances, aminomycosporines, in red tide organisms,
Noctiluca scintillans Chattonella antiqua, Alexandrium catenella, and others were examined. The occurrence of red tides of these spscies seems partly due to the protection of photosynthesis from strong irradiation of UV-A by aminomycosporines and related compounds.
The UV-A protective capability of aminomycosporines extracted from
N. scintillans was tested using a double test tube system, with a quartz test tube of inner diameter of about 3 cm on the outside and a culture test tube inside (Fig. 4). Aminomycosporines solution extracted from
Noctiluca scintillans was put in the outer quartz tube.
C. antiqua as red tide species and
Skeletonema costatum, which dose not show any aborption in the UV-A region, were incubated in the inner test tube with NaH
14CO
3 in culture media. The UV lamp used was a Toshiba FL20SE (emission max, 313 nm) with UV ray strength of 1760 J. m
-2d
-1.
UV Irradiation of
S. costatum in distilled water in the outer tube
14C incorporations were retarded to about 22-40% of the control, which was illuminated by fluorecent lamp. Under the same condition,
14C incorporation of
C. antiqua was reserved at 76-83%. When the aminomycosporines solution with about 10 times the concentration of
N. scitillans content was put in the outer tube,
14C incorporation of
S. costatum recovered to about 70-93% of the control. The
14C incorporation of
C. antiqua had slightly retaken it.
The role of UV-A absorbing aminomycosprines in red tide organisms seems to be to protect photosynthetic systems from strong day light and appears to be associated with the occurrence of red tides.
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