Sequence of Formation of Phosphoglycolate and Glycolate in Photosynthesizing Chlorella pyrenoidosa

In Chlorella pyrenoidosa which have been photosynthesizing in either 1.5% (14)CO(2) or 0.05% (14)CO(2) in air, gassing with 100% O(2) results in rapid formation of phosphoglycolate which is apparently converted to glycolate. However, only about one-third to one-half of the rate of glycolate formation can be accounted for by this route. The remaining glycolate formation may be the result of the oxidation of sugar monophosphates. The rates of formation of both glycolate and phosphoglycolate are about four times greater with algae that have been photosynthesizing in 1.5% (14)CO(2) than with algae which have been photosynthesizing with air, when the algae are then gassed with 100% O(2).