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MUCILAGE PROCESSING AND SECRETION IN THE GREEN ALGA CLOSTERIUM. I. CYTOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 1
Author(s) -
Domozych Catherine Rogers,
Plante Kevin,
Blais Phillipe,
Paliulis Leocadia,
Domozych David S.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.0022-3646.1993.00650.x
Subject(s) - mucilage , biology , cell wall , polysaccharide , xyloglucan , biochemistry , botany , biophysics , microbiology and biotechnology
Placoderm desmids (Conjugates, Chlorophyta) such as Closterium exhibit a gliding locomotory behavior. This results from the forceful extrusion of an acidic polysaccharide from one pole of the cell causing the cell to glide in the opposite direction. A biochemical and cytological analysis of gliding behavior was performed. The mucilage is a high molecular weight polysaccharide rich in glucuronic acid and fucose. Under normal growth conditions, 3 μg of mucilage is produced per cell in 30 days. Mucilage production increased 3–4 fold in cells challenged with low phosphate or nitrate conditions. A polyclonal antibody was raised against the mucilage and used in immunofluorescence studies. These results show that upon contact with another object Closterium aligns itself parallel to that object by a “jack‐knife” motion. Subsequently, large amounts of mucilage are released to form elongate tubes enmeshing the cell with that object. In post‐cytokinetic phases of the cell cycle, mucilage is extruded only through the pole of the developing semi‐cell. Chlorotetracyclene‐labeling of mucilage‐secreting cells shows a correlation between calcium‐rich loci on the cell surface and sites of mucilage release.