Dunaliella acidophila: an algae with a positive zeta potential at its optimal pH for growth*

Abstract

Abstract. The zeta potential (which approximates the surface potential) of the acid resistant green alga Dunaliella acidophila (optimal growth at pH 1.0) and the salt resistant D. parva (grown at pH 7.6) were calculated from the electrophoretic mobility of cells as determined by means of free‐flow electrophoresis. Dunaliella acidophila cells exhibit a positive zeta potential (+5 to +20mV) at acidic external pH values, whereas negative zeta potentials (‐30 mV) were measured at neutral pH values. Negative zeta potentials of the same order of magnitude were also measured for D. parva cells (pH 7.6). Low concentrations of La3+ and A13+ did not affect the positive zeta potential of D. acidophila at acidic pH values, whereas higher concentrations caused a shift to more positive potentials. However, at neutral pH these cations caused a significant decrease of the negative zeta potential. The impermeant polycation poly‐L‐lysine acted in a similar manner to A13+ or La3+. The effect of Impermeant cations and anions on various physiological reactions also supports the existence of a positive zeta potential for D. acidophila and of a negative zeta potential for D. parva: polycations such as DEAE‐dextran and poly‐L‐lysine strongly inhibitied photosynthesis and mobility of D. parva, but did not affect these reactions in D. acidophila. Comparable differential inhibitions were also observed for A13+ and La3+. Impermeant anions such as Dextran‐sulfate exhibited effects in the opposite direction: inhibition was stronger with D. acidophila and weaker with D. parva. However, the differential inhibition by impermeant anions was much less pronounced in comparison with impermeant cations due to the relatively high pKa values of anionic solutes and consequently relatively high protonation at pH 1.0. The physiological consequences of an asymmetrically charged plasma membrane (excess of positive charges outside, excess of negative charges on the cytoplasmic side) of D. acidophila are discussed in regard to the extreme acid resistance of this alga and its resistance to cationic toxic solutes in industrial wastes.