In this work, the formation of arsenic metabolites in the freshwater algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was investigated and compared with the metabolites of a marine algae (S. latissima). While the total accumulation of As in C. reinhardtii was about 85% lower than in S. latissima, the relative proportion of arsenolipids in C. reinhardtii was significantly higher (57.0% vs. 5.01%). As-containing hydrocarbons and phospholipids dominated the hydrophobic As profile in S. latissima. In C. reinhardtii, an arsenoriboside-containing phytol (AsSugPhytol) was found for the first time, dominating the hydrophobic arsenic metabolites of C. reinhardtii. Interestingly, this compound and its relatives have so far only been found in green marine microalgae, marine plankton and sediments, but not in brown or red macroalgae. This family of compounds could therefore be related to differences in arsenic metabolism between the algal strains.
Tuesday, 09 January 2024