Picocystis Salinarum: Green Algae
A young researcher has divulged the secret of how the Picocystis Salinarum survives the harshest of conditions by resorting to physiological adaptation to highly saline-alkaline/hyperosmotic conditions.
- Picocystis Salinarum is a globally widespread picoplanktonic green algae of saline lakes.
- It is one of the smallest green algae.
- It is found in hypersaline soda lake Sambhar, Rajasthan, to survive extreme environments.
- Though the algae had been widely found in saline-soda lakes around the world, it was spotted for the first time in India only in the Sambhar Lake.
- The unique organism apparently enhances photosynthesis and ATP synthesis along with chaperone proteins as key response to high salinity-alkalinity.
- Enhanced photosynthetic activity exhibited by P. salinarum in highly saline-alkaline condition is noteworthy as photosynthesis is suppressed under hyperosmotic conditions in most photosynthetic organisms.
