Packaging of mycosporine-like amino acids in dinoflagellates

Synthesis of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) can significantly protect phytoplankton cells against damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation, depending on the concentration, type and cellular distribution of these UV sunscreens. We addressed the hypothesis that MAAs are concentrated around UV-sensitive organelles for improved efficiency, thereby increasing their ‘package effect’. This was investigated for 2 species of MAA-producing dinoflagellates, with comparative analyses of a MAA-free diatom. Spectral absorbance of dinoflagellates suspended in their growth medium was relatively small throughout the MAA-absorbing region despite high concentrations of these compounds (determined by HPLC), suggesting that MAAs are highly packaged in intact cells. The measured in vivo absorbance of suspended and filtered phytoplankton cells revealed an extracellular release of water-soluble MAAs during freezing. The release of MAAs upon thawing enabled the calculation of an MAA packaging index based on the comparison between absorption characteristics before (MAAs inside cells in suspension) and after freezing (MAAs released from cells on thawed filters). Additionally, MAA packaging was evaluated from the reconstruction of absorption spectra from the individual MAA concentration. Consistent with our hypothesis, the results showed that UV absorption was up to 80% lower in the intact cells relative to the MAAs dissolved in solution. These results imply a high degree of MAA packaging in these dinoflagellates, that may increase the protection efficiency for specific cellular targets.