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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » Natural Products Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #102801
Title: 9,10-ANTHRAQUINONE REDUCES THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC EFFICIENCY OF OSCILLATORIA PERORNATA AND MODIFIES CELLULAR INCLUSIONS

Author
item Schrader, Kevin
item Dayan, Franck
item Allen, Stacy
item DE REGT, MARJAN
item TUCKER, CRAIG
item Paul Jr, Rex

Submitted to: International Journal of Plant Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/8/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Previous laboratory studies have found that a natural compound known as anthraquinone kills the blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) that produce musty odors that cause musty flavor in catfish raised in the Mississippi Delta. In this study, the method by which anthraquinone kills these undesirable blue-green algae was studied. Results found that anthraquinone stops photosynthesis in the blue-green algae tested and also causes changes in the cell structure to prevent growth of the blue-green algae.

Technical Abstract: The natural compound 9,10-anthraquinone was found to inhibit the growth of the musty odor-producing cyanobacterium Oscillatoria perornata at a low concentration (1 um) in previous laboratory studies. In this study, the mode of action of 9,10-anthraquinone was investigated by observing ultrastructural changes in O. perornata and by monitoring chlorophyll fluorescence as an indicator of photosynthetic efficiency. Results indicate that 9,10-anthraquinone inhibits photosynthetic electron transport, probably at PSII, and, thereby, affects growth. Moreover, 9,10-anthraquinone treatment caused thylakoid disorganization and reduced the number of ribosomes in O. perornata. The thylakoid disorganization is identical to reported modification in a cyanobacterium treated with simazine, a PSII inhibitor.