Abstract
We have studied carbohydrate metabolism in the marine environment by means of the isolation and characterization of carbohydrates of particulate matter from various depths. The present work is especially concerned with water-extractable carbohydrates of the particulate samples from 11 stations of the northwest Pacific Ocean. Water-extractable carbohydrate content in the particulate matter of the surface waters was measured; it ranged from 19.2 to 36.0% of the total particulate carbohydrate. These values decreased, ranging from 6.5 to 15.5% at 50 m depth. Such rapid vertical change of the concentration of the carbohydrate indicated that it was lost from the particulate matter much faster than the other particulate organic constituents such as protein and water-insoluble carbohydrate. This process left water-insoluble carbohydrate in the deep-water particulate matter as previously observed in the Sagami Nada, off eastern Honshu, Japan. Upon acid hydrolysis, water-extractable carbohydrate revealed glucose ranging from 67.0 to 84.2%. Rhamnose, fucose, ribose, arabinose, xylose, mannose and galactose were also identified as components of the carbohydrate fraction. Carbohydrate studies on the laboratory cultured diatoms clearly indicated that the water-extractable carbohydrates were food reserve materials of the diatoms. In view of this fact, the metabolism of the water-extractable carbohydrate in the euphotic zone and its underlying layer is discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Abdel-Akher, M., J. K. Hamilton and F. Smith: The reduction of sugars with sodium borohydride. J. Am. chem. Soc. 73, 4691–4694 (1951).
Bayler, E. R. and W. H. Sutcliff: Dissolved organic matter in seawater as a source of particulate matter. Limnol. Oceanogr. 8, 369–371 (1963).
Bean, R. C. and W. Z. Hassid: Carbohydrate oxidase from a red alga Iridophycus flaccidum. J. biol. Chem. 218, 425–436 (1956a).
——: Enzymatic oxidation of glucose to glocosone in red alga. Science, N.Y. 124, 171–172 (1956b).
Bidwell, R. G. S.: Photosynthesis and metabolism of marine algae 1. Photosynthesis of two marine flagellates compared with Chlorella. Can. J. Bot. 35, 945–953 (1957).
Colin, H. et E. Guénguen: Le sucre des Floridees. C. r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris 190, 653–655 (1930).
Craigie, J. S., J. McLachlan, W. Majak, R. G. Ackman and C. S. Tocher: Photosynthesis in algae 2. Green algae with special reference to Dunaliella sp. and Tetraselmis sp. Can. J. Bot. 44, 1247–1255 (1966).
Duncan, W. A. M. and D. J. Manners: Enzyme systems in marine algae 2. Trans-α-glucosylation by extracts of Cladophora rupestris. Biochem. J. 69, 343–348 (1958).
—— and A. G. Ross: Enzyme systems in marine alage. The carbohydrase activities of unfractionated extracts of Cladophora rupestris, Laminaria digitata, Rhodymenia palmata and Ulva lactuca. Biochem. J. 63, 44–53 (1956).
Fisher, I. S. and E. Percival: The water soluble polysaccharides of Cladophora rupestris. J. chem. Soc. 2666–2673 (1957).
Fog, G. E.: Extracellular products of phytoplankton and the estimation of primary production. Rapp. P.-v. Réun. Cons. perm. int. Explor. Mer 144, 56–60 (1958).
Ford, C. W. and E. Percival: The carbohydrates of Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Part 1. Preliminary examination of the organism, and characterization of low molecular weight material and of a glucan. J. chem. Soc. 7035–7042 (1965).
Gibbs, M.: Respiration. In: Physiology and biochemistry of algae, pp 61–90. Ed. by R. Lewin: New York: Academic Press 1962.
Gillard, R. R. L. and P. J. Wangersky: The production of extra-cellular carbohydrates by some marine flagellates. Limnol. Oceanogr. 3, 449–454 (1958).
Handa, N.: Identification of carbohydrates in marine particulate matters and their vertical distribution. Rec. oceanogr. Wks Japan 9 (1), 65–73 (1967).
— and H. Tominaga: A detailed analysis of carbohydrates in marine particulate matter. Mar. Biol. 2, 228–235 (1969).
Hellebust, J. A.: Excretion of some organic compounds by marine phytoplankton. Limnol. Oceanogr. 10, 192–206 (1965).
Hirst, E., W. Mackie and E. Percival: The water-soluble polysaccharide of Cladophora rupestris and of Chaetomorpha spp. Part 2. The site of ester sulphate groups and the linkage between the galactose residues. J. chem. Soc. 2958–2966 (1965).
Jacobi, G.: Enzyme des Kohlenhydratstoffwechsels in Extrakten von Ulva lactuca. Chem. Ber. 85, 655–663 (1957a).
—: Vergleichend enzymatische Untersuchungen an Marinen Grün und Rotalgen. Kieler Meeresforsch. 13, 212–219 (1957b).
—: Enzyme systems. In: Physiology and biochemistry of algae. pp 125–140. Ed. by R. Lewin. New York: Academic Press 1962.
Lindberg, B.: Low molecular carbohydrates in algae. 10. Investigation of Furcellaria fastigiata. Acta chem. scand. 9, 1093–1096 (1955a).
—: Low molecular carbohydrates in algae. 11. Investigation of Porphyra umbilicalis. Acta chem. scand. 9, 1097–1099 (1955b).
Mackie, I. M. and E. Percival: The constitution of xylan from the green seaweed Caulerpa filiformis. J. chem. Soc. 1151–1160 (1959).
Mackie, I. M. and E. Percival: Polysaccharides from the green seaweeds of Caulerpa spp. Part 3. Detailed study of the water-soluble polysaccharides C. filiformis: Comparison with the polysaccharides synthesized by C. racemosa. J. chem. Soc. 3010–3018 (1961).
Mérac, M. L. Rubat du: Sur la presence de fructosanes chez Dasycladus vermicularis (Scopoli) Krasser C. r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris 241, 88–90 (1955).
—: Une Neomeridacee fructosanifere: Cymopolia barbata L. Haro. C. r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris 243, 714–717 (1956).
Nalewajko, C.: Photosynthesis and excretion in various planktonic algae. Limnol. Oceanogr. 11 (1), 1–10 (1966).
Parsons, T. R., K. Stephens and J. D. H. Strickland: On the chemical composition of eleven species of marine phytoplanktons. J. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 18, 1001–1016 (1961).
— and J. D. H. Strickland: Oceanic detritus. Science, N. Y. 136, 313–314 (1962).
Peat, S. and A. D. Rees: Carbohydrases and sulphatase activities of Porphyra umbilicalis. Biochem. J. 79, 7 (1961).
Percival, E. G. V. and A. G. Ross: Fucoidin 1. The isolation and purification of fucoidin from brown seaweeds. J. chem. Soc. 717–725 (1950).
Putman, E. W. and W. Z. Hassid: Structure of galactosyglycerol from Irideae laminarioides. J. Am. chem. Soc. 76, 2221–2224 (1954).
Riley, G. A., P. J. Wangersky and D. van Hemert: Organic aggregates in tropical and subtropical surface waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. Limnol. Oceanogr. 9, 546–550 (1964).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by M. Anraku, Nagasaki
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Handa, N., Yanagi, K. Studies on water-extractable carbohydrates of the particulate matter from the northwest Pacific Ocean. Mar. Biol. 4, 197–207 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393893
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393893