Adaptation of Synechococcus in situ determined by variability in intracellular phycoerythrin-543 at a coastal station off the Southern California coast, USA

Abstract

Concentrations of extracted phycobiliproteins were measured at a station off the Southern California coast, USA, from November 1985 to March 1986. The main pigment found was phycoerythrin-543 (PE) from Synechococcus spp. as described by Alberte et al. (1984). Concentrations of PE in water column, between 3 and 40 m, varied between 0.01 and 1.60 mu g l super(-1). Maximum values were found between 3 and 22 m. In situ concentrations of PE were positively correlated with cell numbers of Synechococcus spp., which ranged from 1.4 to 116 x 10 super(6) cells l super(-1), and showed maximal values between 3 and 13 m. Because no other types of Pe were detected, all PE measured was considered to come from Synechococcus -type cells. Cellular concentrations of PE varied between 2.1 and 40.3 x 10 super(-9) mu g PE cell super(-1), with an average value of 10.5 x 10 super(-9) mu g PE cell super(-1) above the 1% isolume for PAR (photosynthetically Available Radiation).