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[14C] Acetate incorporation,
an indicator of lipid biosynthesis within intact river biofilms
Christopher Freeman1,
Douglas M. Fiebig2 &
Maurice A. Lock
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor;
LL57 2UW U.K.;
1Corresponding Author; present
address: Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Bangor Research
Unit, Deiniol Road, Bangor; LL57 2UP, UK;
2Present address: Limnologische
Flußstation des Max-Planck-lnstituts fur Limnologie,
P0 Box 260, D36105 Schlitz, Germany
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Abstract
A method is described which enables lipid biosynthesis
to be determined within intact river biofilms. Significantly different
rates of biosynthesis were detected in rivers of differing nutrient
availability and during different seasons. Rapid changes in microbial
physiology could be detected within 24 hours. The technique appeared
to be well suited to investigation of factors affecting lipid biosynthesis
within biofilms. Although in contrast, acetate incorporation did
not correlate with microcalorimetric total activity measurements
over a 12-month period, and so the method did not appear suitable
for determining total metabolic activity. However, microbial lipid
biosynthesis produces a valuable food resource for the ecosystems
higher tropic levels and thus the acetate incorporation technique
could prove useful as an indicator of aspects of aquatic ecosystem
health.
Keywords: biofilm, activity, lipid synthesis, 14C
acetate, calorimetry
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