Effects of Low-Temperature Acclimation and Oxygen Stress on Tocopheron Production in Euglena gracilis Z

The effects of low-temperature acclimation and oxygen stress on tocopheron production were examined in the unicellular phytoflagellate Euglena gracilis Z. Cells were cultured photoheterotrophically at 27.5 +/- 1 degrees C with 5% carbon dioxide-95% air and 740 microeinsteins m s (photosynthetically active radiation) and served as controls. Low-temperature acclimation (12.5 +/- 1 degrees C) and high-oxygen stress (5% carbon dioxide-95% oxygen) were individually examined in the mass culturing of the algae. Chromatographic analyses demonstrated a six-to sevenfold enhancement of alpha-tocopherol production in temperature-stressed cells, along with a concomitant decline in the levels of alpha-tocotrienol and the absence of other tocopherol homologs. Oxygen-stressed cultures demonstrated the presence of high levels of alpha-tocopherylquinone; alpha-tocopheron and its homologs and precursors were absent or declined markedly. These findings are discussed in terms of the feasibility of microbial production of natural tocopherols. In addition, these results lend themselves to speculation regarding the biological role(s) of tocopherols as antioxidants and free radical scavengers in reducing photo-induced oxidative damage or lipid peroxidation toxicities or both in photosynthetically active E. gracilis Z.