The effects of phosphorus starvation on phosphate storage, three storage products and cellular organelles of Chlorella pyrenoidosa.

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1983Author
Ransom, Charlotte B.
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The ultrastructure of phosphorus starved, phosphorus restored
and total nutrient cells of Chlorella pyrenoidosa was described by
i
morphometric analysis. The rate of phosphorus incorporation into
polyphosphate bodies of phosphorus starved cells was described as a
volume fraction of the whole cell volume over a 210 min period.
Maximum phosphorus incorporation into polyphosphate bodies
of phosphorus starved cells occurred in the first 30 min of exposure
to phosphorus. After 180 min exposure, the volume fraction of the
polyphosphate bodie's of these cells decreased significantly.
Several different trends were observed in the volume fractions
of other cellular components. The volume fraction of starch in the
chloroplast was significantly larger in the total nutrient cells
than in cells of any other treatment. Lipids and pyrenoid volume
fractions were significantly higher in phosphorus starved and
phosphorus restored cells than in total nutrient cells. Phosphorus
starved cells had the smallest volume fraction of vacuoles. Upon
exposure to phosphorus, the vacuolar volume fraction increased until it
equalled that of total nutrient cells. No significant differences in
the volume fractions of the chloroplast, nucleus or mitochondrion
were observed for any treatment.