Correlation of alpha-Linolenate to Photosynthetic O(2) Production in Chlorella.

Photosynthetic oxygen evolution per milligram of chlorophyll in Chlorella vulgaris varies with the age of the culture. The rate of oxygen evolution is low in the starting cells, it rises to a maximum after 24 hours of growth and then declines to the initial low value after 72 to 90 hours. These changes in photosynthetic competence of chlorophyll in Chlorella are paralleled by changes in alpha-linolenate per milligram of chlorophyll. In general the magnitude of the photosynthetic competence of chlorophyll is directly proportional to the magnitude of the ratio of alpha-linolenate to chlorophyll, regardless of whether high ratios are due to high alpha-linolenates or low chlorophyll values. This relationship holds when the cultures are grown either under continuous or intermittent illumination.