TRACE METAL REDUCTION BY PHYTOPLANKTON: THE ROLE OF PLASMALEMMA REDOX ENZYMES1,2
Gary J. Jones
Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 48–213 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Address for reprint requests.
Search for more papers by this authorBrian P. Palenik
Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 48–213 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Search for more papers by this authorFrançois M. M. Morel
Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 48–213 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Search for more papers by this authorGary J. Jones
Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 48–213 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Address for reprint requests.
Search for more papers by this authorBrian P. Palenik
Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 48–213 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Search for more papers by this authorFrançois M. M. Morel
Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 48–213 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Search for more papers by this authorAccepted: 20 November 1986.
This research was supported in part by NSF grant 8317532-OCE and ONR grant N00014-86-K-0325.
ABSTRACT
The phytoplankton cell surface reduces external copper(II) and iron(III) complexes and redox dyes. This reductive activity appears to be mediated by one or more plasmalemma redox enzymes. Trace metal complexes are directly reduced by the redox enzyme, therefore the reduction rate is not regulated by the metal free ion activity in solution. This is in direct contrast to previous measurements of trace metal interactions with the phytoplankton cell membrane. Half-saturation constants for the reduction of Cu(II) complexes with carbonate, phenanthroline and bathocuproinedisulfonate are in the range 2.3–14.7 μM, which suggests that trace metal complexes are not the main electron acceptor in natural waters. In the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii there is additional reductive activity associated with the cell wall.
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