[Ultrastructural changes in the green algae Ankistrodesmus braunii and Chlorella fusca var. rubescens under conditions of nitrogen deficiency]

Abstract

Ultrastructural changes as well as changes in pigment and lipid content induced by nitrogen deficiency in the green algae Ankistrodesmus braunii and Chlorella fusca var. rubescens have been studied. Electron micrographs (freezeetching technique) and analyses show that the content of chlorophylls and the number of thylakoids decrease under these conditions synchronously with the increase of secondary carotenoids (astaxanthin-like type) and lipid vacuoles. However, there is no change, as compared with the green control, in the number and structure of the plastoglobuli localized in the chloroplasts. After addition of nitrogen, synthesis of the thylakoids and chlorophylls begins. The lipid vacuoles and secondary carotenoids disappear gradually. These extraplastidic lipid vacuoles do not correspond with the intraplastidic plastoglobuli (lipid globuli) found in higher plants and in Acetabularia.