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STRUCTURE AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE HAPTONEMA IN CHRYSOCHROMULINA (PRYMNESIOPHYCEAE). II. MECHANISMS OF HAPTONEMATAL COILING AND THE REGENERATION PROCESS 1
Author(s) -
Gregson Andrew J.,
Green J. C.,
Leadbeater Barry S. C.
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.0022-3646.1993.00686.x
Subject(s) - microtubule , egta , biology , biophysics , extracellular , intracellular , calcium , crystallography , microbiology and biotechnology , materials science , chemistry , metallurgy
ABSTRACT The axoneme in the free part of the haptonema in Chrysochromulina acantha Leadbeater & Manton and C. simplex Estep et al. consists of seven single microtubules, except in the extreme distal swelling where, in C. simplex , there are only three microtubules. In the extended haptonema, the microtubules are arranged in a ring though they are not evenly spaced, the gap between two of the microtubules being larger than that between any other neighboring pairs. In the coiled haptonema, rearrangement of the microtubules occurs so that the ring becomes distorted and the microtubules form two superposed arcs. A sliding microtubule mechanism is considered as a means by which haptonematal movement might be affected, and this is discussed in relation to the fine structure of both embedded material and negatively stained demembranated cells. We show that haptonematal coiling is dependent on the presence of calcium ions and that an external concentration of between 10 −6 and 10 −7 M Ca 2+ is the threshold below which the frequency of coiling on cell death is reduced. The results of experiments using ethylene bis‐(oxyethylenenitrilo)‐tetracetic acid (EGTA) and lanthanum ions to control extracellular and intracellular Ca 2+ concentrations are discussed in terms of both external free calcium and intracellular pools. We also show that haptonematal regeneration following excision begins with a short lag phase. This is followed by a period of rapid growth, decreasing after approximately 4 h. Full haptonematal regrowth is not achieved until after 12–15 h. The rate of haptonematal regeneration is strongly affected when the flagella are regenerating simultaneously. These observations are interpreted in terms of competition for intracellular precursors.