FIGURE 2.

Accumulation of TAG during an extended period of iron starvation. A, abundance of iron-containing proteins during 5 days of iron (Fe) starvation. Soluble or membrane fractions (20 μg) were separated by denaturing gel electrophoresis, transferred to PVDF or nitrocellulose membranes, and probed for the indicated proteins. B, chlorophyll content per cell in iron-starved C. reinhardtii cells. C, FA content on a per cell basis in iron-starved and control cells. D, TAG-FA content per cell during 5 days of iron starvation. E, formation of lipid droplets in C. reinhardtii exposed to 5 days of iron starvation. We used confocal microscopy with Nile Red® staining (yellow) to observe lipid accumulation and chlorophyll autofluorescence (red). Chl + NR, chlorophyll autofluorescence merged with Nile Red; DIC, differential interference contrast, scale bar, 10 μm. Error bars represent the S.D. from three biological replicates.