The chemical composition of organisms in relation to their environmental resource availability is an area of intense research activity. We studied the changes in cell composition of the cyanobacterium Phormidium autumnale in response to prolonged darkness. Cells allocated their internal resources in a homeostatic manner, oxidizing all the three major cellular constituents in a proportional way. This resulted in constant C/N and carbohydrates, lipids and proteins ratios that remained unaltered throughout the whole incubation period. We propose the maintenance of balanced cell composition (homeostasis) as an evolutionary strategy related to environmental transitory changes.
Homeostasis of cell composition during prolonged darkness / Montechiaro, F; Hirschmugl, C; Raven, Ja; Giordano, Mario. - In: PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT. - ISSN 1365-3040. - STAMPA. - 29:(2006), pp. 2198-2204. [10.1111/j.1365-3040.2006.01593.x]
Homeostasis of cell composition during prolonged darkness.
GIORDANO, Mario
2006-01-01
Abstract
The chemical composition of organisms in relation to their environmental resource availability is an area of intense research activity. We studied the changes in cell composition of the cyanobacterium Phormidium autumnale in response to prolonged darkness. Cells allocated their internal resources in a homeostatic manner, oxidizing all the three major cellular constituents in a proportional way. This resulted in constant C/N and carbohydrates, lipids and proteins ratios that remained unaltered throughout the whole incubation period. We propose the maintenance of balanced cell composition (homeostasis) as an evolutionary strategy related to environmental transitory changes.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
