Compositional changes in mycosporine-like amino acids induced by UV radiation: marine dinoflagellate Scrippsiella sweeneyae

The compositional changes in mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) were investigated in the marine dinoflagellate Scrippsiella sweeneyae exposed to four different spectral compositions and five relative intensities of UV-B (280-320 nm) to UV-A (320-400 nm) + photosynthetically available radiation (PAR: 400-700 nm). Neither dose nor wavelengths of UVR significantly affected the growth rates. UVR caused a significantly increase in cell volume. Cell volume in the >280nm treatment was more than two times greater at 6.8 % of UVR intensity. Production of UVR induced MAAs was dependent on the dose of UVR. However. the induction of MAAs was related to the cell growth. Greater induction of MAAs was observed at shorter wavelengths. The composition of MAAs varied with increasing light intensity of UVR.