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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 - DREC,MS STATE UNIVERSITY
item TUCKER, CRAIG - DREC,MS STATE UNIVERSITY
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.