Photosynthetic pigment system of picophytoplankton of cyanophytes isolated from subsurface water in the Kuroshio area

Photosynthetic pigment system of picophytoplankton of cyanophytes was examined with five strains isolated from the Kuroshio water at the depth of 70 m. Examination was made for the absorption spectra of intact cells of each strain. Analysis of pigment composition was also made withSynechococcus NIBB 1059 and 1071, which were isolated from surface waters of the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio area, respectively. Results indicated that (1) all strains contain phycoerythrin with a very high concentration, and (2) the phycoerythrin in these strains contains two chromophores, phycoerythrobilin and phycourobilin, and (3) a large abundance of phycoerythrin and phycourobilin in the phycoerythrin enablesSynechococcus picophytoplankton to absorb effectively the light in the blue-green region at the subsurface depth. These characteristics suggest that cyanophytes in the subsurface water can collectt the blue-green light and perform actively photosynthesis even at the bottom of euphotic layer.