Photosynthesis and carbon metabolism in photoautotrophic cell suspensions of Chenopodium rubrum from different phases of batch growth

Abstract

Rapidly dividing photoautotrophic cell suspensions from Chenopodium rubrum L. assimilated about 85 μmol CO2 (mg chlorophyll)−1 h−1. During the late stationary phase of culture growth, CO2 fixation rate was reduced to about 60 μmol CO2 (mg chlorophyll)−1 h−1. Actively dividing cells characteristically incorporated a smaller proportion of 14C into starch than cells from non‐dividing stationary phases. In rapidly dividing cells, [14C]‐turnover from free sugars, sugar‐phosphates, organic and amino acids was substantially higher compared to non‐dividing cells from stationary growth phase. Higher proportions of photosynthetically fixed carbon were channelled into proteins, lipids and structural components in actively dividing cells than in non‐dividing cells. In the latter. 14C was preferentially channeled into starch, and a striking increase in starch accumulation was observed. The transfer of non‐dividing, stationary growth‐phase cells into fresh culture medium resulted in an increase in the maximum extractable activities of some enzymes involved in the glycolytic and dark respiratory pathways and in the citric acid cycle. In contrast, the maximum extractable activities of the chloroplastic enzymes, ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.38) and NADP+‐glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.13) were highest after the cells had reached the stationary growth phase.