Formation of silver plastocyanin in Scenedesmus.

Silver ions up to 5 microM do not affect growth of the green microalga Scenedesmus acutus. They induce formation of protein species precipitable by an antibody specific against plastocyanin. The metal is incorporated into a part of the induced protein in competition with copper. Bismuth, lead and molybdenum had no effect. The amount of both silver- and copper-containing plastocyanins so formed apparently regulates concurrently inhibition of soluble plastidic cytochrome c-553. The silver-copper competition for the build-up of blue plastocyanin can be shown with intact cells, not with isolated algal plastocyanin.