Jump to content

Picocystis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Prithee P (talk | contribs) at 18:43, 24 July 2020 (added image #WPWP #WPWPUIL). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Picocystis
Picocystis salinarum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Clade: Viridiplantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Picocystophyceae
Eikrem & Lopes dos Santos
Order: Picocystales
Eikrem & Lopes dos Santos
Family: Picocystaceae
Eikrem & Lopes dos Santos
Genus: Picocystis
R.A.Lewin 2001 emend. Eikrem & Lopes dos Santos 2017
Species:
P. salinarum
Binomial name
Picocystis salinarum
R.A.Lewin 2001

Picocystis is a monotypic genus of green algae, the sole species is Picocystis salinarum.[1] It is placed within its own class, Picocystophyceae in the division Chlorophyta.[2]

Structure

Picocystis salinarum cells under normal conditions have a spherical or oval shape. Their size ranges from 2 to 3μm (micrometer, 10^-6) in diameter. Under conditions of nutrient depletion they appear to form a trillobe shape. The general appearance resembles to that of a standard green algae.

The pigments are composed mainly from chlorophyll a and b and the carotenoids violaxanthin, alloxanthin, monadoxanthin, neoxanthin, lutein, diatoxanthin and zeaxanthin.[3][4]

The cell wall is mainly composed of polymers of the monosaccharide arabinose, polyarabinose.[3]

Habitat

The species have been found in saline or hypersaline alkaline environments. [5][6]

Picocystis is one of the smallest green algae. Picocystis salinarum occurs in vast numbers in Mono Lake, where it is also referred to as Mickey Mouse (see bottom left).

References

  1. ^ Guiry, M.D.; Guiry, G.M. "Picocystis". AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway.
  2. ^ Lopes Dos Santos A, Pollina T, Gourvil P, Corre E, Marie D, Garrido JL, Rodríguez F, Noël MH, Vaulot D, Eikrem W (October 2017). "Chloropicophyceae, a new class of picophytoplanktonic prasinophytes". Scientific Reports. 7 (1): 14019. Bibcode:2017NatSR...714019L. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-12412-5. PMC 5656628. PMID 29070840.
  3. ^ a b Lewin RA, Krienitz L, Goericke R, Takeda H, Hepperle D (2000). "Picocystis salinarum gen. et sp nov (Chlorophyta) - a new picoplanktonic green alga". Phycologia. 39: 560–565. doi:10.2216/i0031-8884-39-6-560.1.
  4. ^ Lopes Dos Santos A, Gourvil P, Rodríguez F, Garrido JL, Vaulot D (February 2016). "Photosynthetic pigments of oceanic Chlorophyta belonging to prasinophytes clade VII". Journal of Phycology. 52 (1): 148–55. doi:10.1111/jpy.12376. hdl:10261/129034. PMID 26987097.
  5. ^ Krienitz L, Bock C, Kotut K, Luo W (January 2012). "Picocystis salinarum (Chlorophyta) in saline lakes and hot springs of East Africa". Phycologia. 51 (1): 22–32. doi:10.2216/11-28.1.
  6. ^ Stamps BW, Nunn HS, Petryshyn VA, Oremland RS, Miller LG, Rosen MR, et al. (November 2018). "Metabolic Capability and Phylogenetic Diversity of Mono Lake during a Bloom of the Eukaryotic Phototroph Picocystis sp. Strain ML". Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 84 (21). doi:10.1128/AEM.01171-18. PMC 6193381. PMID 30120120.