Photosynthetic bicarbonate utilization inPorphyra haitanensis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta)

The activities of carbonic anhydrase (CA) and photosynthesis ofPorphyra haitanensis were investigated in order to see its photosynthetic utilization of inorganic carbon source. Both intra- and extra-cellular CA activities existed in the thallus. CA inhibitors, acetazolamide (AZ) and ethoxy-zolamide (EZ), remarkably depressed the photosynthetic oxygen evolution in seawater of pH 8.2 and 10.0, and EZ showed stronger inhibition than AZ. The observed net photosynthetic rate in seawater of pH 8.2 was much higher than that of CO2 supply theoretically derived from spontaneous dehydration of HCO3 .P. haitanensis also showed a rather high pH compensation point (9.9). The results demonstrated thatP. haitanensis could utilize bicarbonate as the external inorganic carbon source for photosynthesis. The bicarbonate utilization was closely associated with HCO3 dehydration catalyzed by extracellular CA activity. The inorganic carbon composition in seawater could well saturate the photosynthesis ofP. haitanensis. The low Km value and compensation points for inorganic carbon reflected the existence of CO2-concentrating mechanism in this alga.