Skip to main content
Log in

Identification and quantitation of near-UV absorbing compounds (S-320) in a hermatypic scleractinian

  • Published:
Coral Reefs Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Reef-building corals from shallow waters are known to contain a suite of water soluble compounds (collectively named S-320) which strongly absorb near-UV light. Compounds of this type have now been isolated from the Pacific staghor coral Acropora formosa and identified as a series of mycosporine-like amino acids including mycosporine-Gly (λmax=310nm), palythine (λmax=320nm) and palythinol (λmax=332nm). These compounds were separated and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Serial extraction efficiencies were calculated using a simple formula which is derived herein. For 12-cm long coral branches collected from a depth of 3 m at Rib Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Australia (146° 53′E, 18° 29′S) the average concentrations of mycosporine-Gly, palythine, and palythinol were 37.8, 56.4 and 0.895 nmol per mg coral protein, respectively. The coral samples can be stored at-20°C for at least 144 days without degradation of the mycosporinelike amino acids.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arpin N, Bouillant ML (1981) Light and mycosporines. In: Turian G, Hohl HR (eds) The fungal spore, morphogenetic controls. Academic Press, London New York, pp 435–454

    Google Scholar 

  • Arpin N, Curt R, Favre-Bonvin J (1979) Mycosporines: mise au point et données nouvelles concernant leurs structures, leurs distribution, leur localisation et leur biogenese. Rev Mycol 43: 247–257

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker K, Smith RC, Green AFS (1980) Middle ultraviolet radiation reaching the ocean surface. Photochem Photobiol 32: 367–374

    Google Scholar 

  • Caldwell MW (1981) Plant response to solar ultraviolet radiation reaching the ocean surface. In: Lang OL et al. (eds) Physiological plant ecology. I. Responses to the physical environment. Encyclopaedia of plant physiology, new series, vol 12A. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 169–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Chalker BE, Dunlap WC (1982) Extraction and quantitation of endosymbiotic algal pigments from reef-building corals. Proc 4th Int Symp Coral Reefs 2: 45–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Favre-Bonvin J, Brevard C (1976) Structure de la mycosporine (P310). Can J Chem 54: 105–1113

    Google Scholar 

  • Green AES, Sawada T, Shettle EP (1974) The middle ultraviolet radiation reaching the ground. Photochem Photobiol 19: 251–259

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirata Y, Uemura D, Takano S (1979) Several compounds from Palythoa tuberculosa (Coelenterata). Pure Appl Chem 51: 1875–1883

    Google Scholar 

  • Ito S, Hirata Y (1977) Isolation and structure of a mycosporine from the zoanthid Palythoa tuberculosa. Tetrahedron Lett 28: 2429–2430

    Google Scholar 

  • Jerlov NG (1950) Ultra-violet radiation in the sea. Nature 116: 111–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Jokiel PL (1980) Solar ultraviolet radiation and coral reef epifauna. Science 207: 1069–1071

    Google Scholar 

  • Jokiel PL, York RH Jr (1982) Solar ultraviolet photobiology of the reef coral Pocillopora damicornis and symbiotic zooxanthellae. Bull Mar Sci 32: 301–315

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorenzen CJ (1979) Ultraviolet radiation and phytoplankton photosynthesis. Limnol Oceanogr 24: 1117–1120

    Google Scholar 

  • Maragos JE (1972) A study of the ecology of Hawaiian reef corals. PhD dissertation, University of Hawaii, 290 pp

  • Nakamura H, Kobayashi J, Hirata Y (1981) Isolation and structure of a 330 nm UV-absorbing substance, asterina-330 from the starfish Asterina pectinifera. Chem Lett, pp 1413–1414

  • Nakamura H, Kobayashi J, Hirata Y (1982) Separation of mycosporinelike amino acids in marine organisms using reversed-phase highperformance liquid chromatography. J Chromatogr 250: 113–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Shibata K (1969) Pigments and a UV-absorbing substance in corals and a blue-green alga living in the Great Barrier Reef. Plant Cell Physiol 10: 325–335

    Google Scholar 

  • Siebeck O (1981) Photoreactivation and depth-dependent UV tolerance in reef coral in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Naturwissenschaften 68: 426–428

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith RC, Baker KS (1979) Penetration of UV-B and biologically effective dose-rates in natural waters. Photochem Photobiol 29: 311–323

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith RC, Baker KS (1982) Assessment of the influence of enhanced UV-B on marine primary productivity. In: Calkins I (ed) The role of solar ultraviolet radiation in marine ecosystems. Plenum Press, New York, pp 509–537

    Google Scholar 

  • Takano S, Nakanishi A, Uemura D, Hirata Y (1979) Isolation and structure of a 334 nm UV-absorbing substance, Porphyra-334 from the red alga Porphyra tenera Kjellman. Chem Lett, pp 419–420

  • Takano S, Uemura D, Hirata Y (1978a) Isolation and structure of a new amino acid, palythine, from the zoanthid Palythoa tuberculosa. Tetrahedren Lett 26: 2290–2300

    Google Scholar 

  • Takano S, Uemura D, Hirata Y (1978b) Isolation and structure of two new amino acids, palythinol and palythene, from the zoanthid Palythoa tuberculosa. Tetrahedron Lett 49: 4909–4912

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsujino I, Yabe K, Sekikawa I, Hamanaka N (1978) Isolation and structure of a mycosporine from the red alga Chondrus yendoi. Tetrahedron Lett 15: 1401–1402

    Google Scholar 

  • Worrest RC (1982) Review of literature concerning the inpact of UV-B radiation upon marine organisms. In: Calkins J (ed) The role of solar ultraviolet radiation in marine ecosystems. Plenum Press, New York, pp 429–457

    Google Scholar 

  • Worrest RW, Van Dyke H, Thomson BE (1978) Impact of enhanced simulated solar ultraviolet radiation upon a marine community. Photochem Photobiol 27: 471–478

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Contribution number 334 from the Australian Institute of Marine Science

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dunlap, W.C., Chalker, B.E. Identification and quantitation of near-UV absorbing compounds (S-320) in a hermatypic scleractinian. Coral Reefs 5, 155–159 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00298182

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00298182

Keywords

Navigation