Terpenoid quinones and steroids in the nutrition ofOxyrrhis marina

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONOxyrrhis marinaDujardin is among the few phagotrophic micro-organisms, and the only dinoflagellate with this mode of nutrition, to have been cultivated under axenic conditions. In common with most other phagotrophs studied,Oxyrrhishad to be supplied with a natural source of lipid growth factors for axenic cultivation, lemon rind or grass extracts in this instance (Droop, 1959). The eventual replacement of these natural sources by ubiquinone (Droop & Doyle, 1966) cleared the way for the development of a completely denned culture medium forOxyrrhisand the completion of the nutritional study, the water-soluble nutrients having been fully worked out previously (Droop, 1959). However, identification of this requirement immediately raises two questions. The answer to the first, whether ubiquinone is the only lipid required, appears to be in the negative, and the details of an additional, fairly specific, steroid requirement are presented in the second part of this paper. The other question concerns the specificity of the quinone requirement. Is the quinone merely a convenient source of the benzene ring – mammals require at least one aromatic compound in the diet – or does it act as a true growth factor, in which case the requirement would be unique and would have more than protozoological interest?