Nitrogen:Phosphorus supply ratio may control the protein and total toxin of dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense

The protein and total toxin of dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense at the exponential growth phase were studied at four N:P supply ratios=8, 16, 24 and 48 by maintaining the N concentration at 880 μM with variable P concentrations without nutrient limitation. Because A. tamarense grew well at all N:P supply ratios, they might synthesize RNA which contains high phosphorus and consequently low N:P atomic ratio of cells might be retained during exponential growth phase. Cellular protein:C ratio and toxin:C ratio depended on N:P supply ratio, suggesting that intracellular biochemical composition of A. tamarense might vary due to N:P supply conditions. These biochemical changes could not be detected by only investigations of cellular N:C atomic ratio which was independent on N:P supply ratio. Total cellular toxin contents of A. tamarense increased with increasing N:P supply ratio, indicated that total cellular toxin contents of A. tamarense might be stimulated by relative P-deficiency. In situ P concentration of the Seto Inland Sea of Japan has been reduced since 1980s the environmental regulation issued by Japanese Government, and therefore N:P supply ratio of input water from adjacent rivers has became higher than the Redfield ratio. The present study may suggest that the reduction of P supply into ambient sea water might cause A. tamarense to accumulate more toxin within the cell, in result, noxious A. tamarense would be more influential to marine organisms in coastal ecosystem.