Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Other Algae01:19

Other Algae

The group Stramenopiles include some phototrophic microorganisms. Members of this group possess flagella covered in numerous short, hairlike extensions, a feature that inspired the group's name, derived from the Latin words for "straw" and "hair." Some of the main categories of Stramenopiles include diatoms, golden algae, and brown algae.Diatoms are unicellular, photosynthetic eukaryotes, with over 200 known genera. They play a key role in the planktonic communities of both marine and...
Diversity of Protists III01:27

Diversity of Protists III

Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...
Red Algae01:23

Red Algae

Red algae, also known as rhodophytes, are primarily found in marine environments, though some species inhabit freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. These organisms exist in both unicellular and multicellular forms, with some multicellular varieties reaching macroscopic sizes.As phototrophic organisms, red algae contain chlorophyll a; however, their chloroplasts lack chlorophyll b. Instead, they possess phycobiliproteins, which serve as major light-harvesting pigments, similar to those found in...
Green Algae01:21

Green Algae

Green algae, also referred to as chlorophytes, are different from red algae in having the chloroplasts containing chlorophylls a and b, which give them their distinct green hue. However, they lack phycobiliproteins, preventing them from developing the red or blue-green pigmentation seen in red algae. In terms of photosynthetic pigment composition, green algae closely resemble plants and share a close evolutionary relationship with them. Taxonomically Green algae belong to Phylum Chlorophyta in...
Overview of Algae01:28

Overview of Algae

The kingdom Archaeplastida encompasses red and green algae, along with land plants. Unlike other protists with chloroplasts that arose through secondary endosymbiosis, only red and green algae originated from primary endosymbiotic events. This diverse group of eukaryotic organisms contains chlorophyll and performs oxygenic photosynthesis.Algae exist in various forms, from large brown kelp in coastal waters to green scum in puddles and stains on rocks or soil. Some species are responsible for...
Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles01:24

Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles

Microbial activity plays a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycling of iron and manganese, especially at the redox gradients characteristic of stratified aquatic environments. These cycles are driven by microbial transformations between oxidized and reduced forms of the metals, allowing organisms to exploit them for metabolic energy and structural purposes.Iron Cycling Across Redox GradientsIn neutral, oxygen-rich surface waters, iron is predominantly found in its oxidized, insoluble ferric...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Photosynthetic primary production in the Mesoproterozoic.

The New phytologist·2026
Same author

Short-term resilience, long-term costs: Reduced growth and increased erosion in the kelp Ecklonia radiata (phylum Ochrophyta) following repeated marine heatwaves.

Journal of phycology·2025
Same author

The dynamics of adaptive evolution in microalgae in a high-CO<sub>2</sub> ocean.

The New phytologist·2024
Same author

The trade-offs associated with the adaptions of marine microalgae to high CO<sub>2</sub> and warming.

Marine environmental research·2024
Same author

Cool-edge populations of the kelp <i>Ecklonia radiata</i> under global ocean change scenarios: strong sensitivity to ocean warming but little effect of ocean acidification.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2024
Same author

Identity and functional characterisation of the transporter supporting the Na<sup>+</sup> -dependent high-affinity NO<sub>3</sub> <sup>-</sup> uptake in Zostera marina L.

Plant, cell & environment·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Measuring Photophysiology of Attached Stage of Colacium sp. by a Cuvette-Type Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometer
07:03

Measuring Photophysiology of Attached Stage of Colacium sp. by a Cuvette-Type Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometer

Published on: November 12, 2021

Iron acquisition and allocation in stramenopile algae.

John A Raven1

  • 1Division of Plant Sciences, University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK. j.a.raven@dundee.ac.uk

Journal of Experimental Botany
|May 10, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Iron uptake in marine algae involves iron reduction. Stramenopiles, like diatoms, have unique iron use and storage strategies, including ferritin in some species, to adapt to low iron environments.

Keywords:
BacillariophyceaeEctocarpusPelagophyceaeallocationdeficiencyironstoragetransport

More Related Videos

Quantification of Heavy Metals and Other Inorganic Contaminants on the Productivity of Microalgae
10:20

Quantification of Heavy Metals and Other Inorganic Contaminants on the Productivity of Microalgae

Published on: July 10, 2015

Analysis of Fatty Acid Content and Composition in Microalgae
07:44

Analysis of Fatty Acid Content and Composition in Microalgae

Published on: October 1, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 11, 2026

Measuring Photophysiology of Attached Stage of Colacium sp. by a Cuvette-Type Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometer
07:03

Measuring Photophysiology of Attached Stage of Colacium sp. by a Cuvette-Type Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometer

Published on: November 12, 2021

Quantification of Heavy Metals and Other Inorganic Contaminants on the Productivity of Microalgae
10:20

Quantification of Heavy Metals and Other Inorganic Contaminants on the Productivity of Microalgae

Published on: July 10, 2015

Analysis of Fatty Acid Content and Composition in Microalgae
07:44

Analysis of Fatty Acid Content and Composition in Microalgae

Published on: October 1, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Marine biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Algal physiology

Background:

  • Iron is essential for photosynthesis but scarce in surface oceans.
  • Stramenopile algae, including diatoms and brown algae, have evolved specific iron acquisition mechanisms.
  • Iron reduction (ferric to ferrous) is crucial for iron uptake in these organisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate iron utilization and storage in stramenopile algae.
  • To understand genotypic and phenotypic adaptations to iron deficiency.
  • To explore the presence and function of iron storage proteins like ferritin.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative genomic analysis of stramenopiles.
  • Biochemical analysis of iron metabolism.
  • Spectroscopic techniques (Mössbauer, X-ray) for iron characterization.
  • Physiological studies under iron-limiting conditions.

Main Results:

  • Stramenopiles use cytochrome c 6 instead of plastocyanin for electron transport.
  • Diatoms downregulate photosynthetic components under iron stress.
  • Pennate diatoms possess the ferritin gene, while centric diatoms do not.
  • Iron in Ectocarpus siliculosus resembles ferritin's mineral core but lacks homologous protein.

Conclusions:

  • Stramenopiles exhibit diverse strategies for iron management in low-availability environments.
  • Genetic and physiological adaptations allow efficient iron use and storage in diatoms.
  • The absence of ferritin in some stramenopiles suggests alternative iron storage mechanisms.