Evidence for phenotypic plasticity in the Antarctic extremophile Chlamydomonas raudensis Ettl. UWO 241

Life in extreme environments poses unique challenges to photosynthetic organisms. The ability for an extremophilic green alga and its genetic and mesophilic equivalent to acclimate to changes in their environment was examined to determine the extent of their phenotypic plasticities. The Antarctic extremophile Chlamydomonas raudensis Ettl. UWO 241 (UWO) was isolated from an ice-covered lake in Antarctica, whereas its mesophilic counterpart C. raudensis Ettl. SAG 49.72 (SAG) was isolated from a meadow pool in the Czech Republic. The effects of changes in temperature and salinity on growth, morphology, and photochemistry were examined in the two strains. Differential acclimative responses were observed in UWO which include a wider salinity range for growth, and broader temperature- and salt-induced fluctuations in Fv/Fm, relative to SAG. Furthermore, the redox state of the photosynthetic electron transport chain, measured as 1–qP, was modulated in the extremophile whereas this was not observed in the mesophile. Interestingly, it is shown for the first time that SAG is similar to UWO in that it is unable to undergo state transitions. The different natural histories of these two strains exert different evolutionary pressures and, consequently, different abilities for acclimation, an important component of phenotypic plasticity. In contrast to SAG, UWO relied on a redox sensing and signalling system under the growth conditions used in this study. It is proposed that growth and adaptation of UWO under a stressful and extreme environment poises this extremophile for better success under changing environmental conditions.