Carbohydrate production byAmphora coffeaeformis, a marine fouling diatom

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Abstract
Amphora coffeaeformis var. perpusilla (Grunow) Cleve was grown under continuous illumination at 18°C in batch cultures using f/2 medium. Cell biomass (measured as dry weight, chlorophyll a, protein and carbon) reached a maximum on day 5. Thereafter cell biomass either remained constant or showed a small decrease. Cellular carbohydrate and protein were the major biochemical constituents. In contrast to cell protein, cellular carbohydrate showed continuous increase with time. The carbohydrate group composition data indicate that acid soluble carbohydrate was the major component of cellular carbohydrate. The observed increase in cellular carbohydrate was due to acid soluble carbohydrate which accounted for 56% of the total cell carbon. Protein: carbohydrate ratios ranged from 1·5 to 0·2 over the period of culture, corresponding to the ratios observed in cultures developing nitrogen deficiency. Monosaccharide analysis of the algal cells indicated that glucose was the most abundant monosaccharide.