Exposure of Dunaliella salina to Low Temperature Mimics the High Light-Induced Accumulation of Carotenoids and the Carotenoid Binding Protein (Cbr)

We report that growth of Dunaliella salina at either 13°C/150 μmol m−2s−1 or 30°C/2,500 μmol m−2 s−1 results in the accumulation of comparable levels of carotenoids and the zeaxanthin-binding protein, Cbr. We conclude that carotenoid and Cbr abundance in this green alga respond to changes in PSII ‘excitation pressure’ rather than to high light per se.