DNA:ATP ratios in marine microalgae and bacteria: Implications for growth rate estimates based on rates of DNA synthesis

David R. Jones, David M. Karl, and Edward A. Laws

School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822

Abstract

DNA:ATP and carbon:DNA (C:DNA) ratios were measured in a total of 14 species of marine microalgae and bacteria. Comparison of several DNA assay methods with results obtained with cultures uniformly labeled with ³³P indicated that by far the most accurate results were obtained using diaminobenzoic acid (DABA) or diphenylamine, with DABA having the highest precision. Both the Hoechst and DAPI methods seriously underestimated DNA concentrations in algal cultures. Average DNA:ATP ratios in the algal and bacterial cultures were 17 and 34 by weight, respectively with almost all values lying in the range of 10-40. DNA:ATP ratios in the microalgae showed no correlation with growth conditions but varied by about a factor of 3 among species. C:DNA ratios for individual species of microalgae and bacteria ranged from 21 to 155 by weight and averaged 50 for the microalgae and bacteria taken together. Growth rates of microalgal species grown in cyclostats were estimated to within 8% of dilution rates when calculated from the uptake of ³H-adenine and the DNA:ATP ratio of the species. Use of the ³H-adenine method for estimating microalgal growth rates in the field may thus be a useful tool for investigating the physiology of microalgae in nature.