(16)O 2/ (18)O 2 analysis of oxygen exchange in Dunaliella tertiolecta. Evidence for the inhibition of mitochondrial respiration in the light.

A mass spectrometric (16)O2/(18)O2-isotope technique was used to analyse the rates of gross O2 evolution, net O2 evolution and gross O2 uptake in relation to photon fluence rate by Dunaliella tertiolecta adapted to 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 M NaCl at 25°C and pH 7.0.At concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon saturating for photosynthesis (200 μM) gross O2 evolution and net O2 evolution increased with increasing salinity as well as with photon fluence rate. Light compensation was also enhanced with increased salinities. Light saturation of net O2 evolution was reached at about 1000 μmol m(-2)s(-1) for all salt concentrations tested. Gross O2 uptake in the light was increased in relation to the NaCl concentration but it was decreased with increasing photon fluence rate for almost all salinities, although an enhanced flow of light generated electrons was simultaneously observed. In addition, a comparison between gross O2 uptake at 1000 μmol photons m(-2)s(-1), dark respiration before illumination and immediately after darkening of each experiment showed that gross O2 uptake in the light paralleled but was lower than mitochondrial O2 consumption in the dark.From these results it is suggested that O2 uptake by Dunaliella tertiolecta in the light is mainly influenced by mitochondrial O2 uptake. Therefore, it appears that the light dependent inhibition of gross O2 uptake is caused by a reduction in mitochondrial O2 consumption by light.