The effect of illumination on the pigment composition of the zeta-carotenic mutant, PG1, of Scenedesmus obliquus.
Dark grown Scenedesmus obliquus strain PG1 accumulated zeta-carotene and phytoene as its major carotenoids. On illumination of dark-grown cultures in air/CO2, cyclic carotenes and xanthophylls were formed, apparently at the expense of the accumulated phytoene and zeta-carotene. This interconversion of carotenoids was accompanied by chlorophyll synthesis. In an atmosphere of nitrogen/CO2 the light-induced changes occurred more slowly and in nitrogen alone the changes were incomplete. No massive production of cyclic carotenes from the accumulated zeta-carotene was observed in cultures illuminated under anaerobic conditions.
D000332:Aerobiosis; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D014975:Lutein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009154:Mutation
D002734:Chlorophyll; D002338:Carotenoids; D014975:Lutein