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POLYPHOSPHATE GRANULES IN THE FUNGI OF TWO LICHENS
Author(s) -
CHILVERS G. A.,
LINGLEE M.,
ASHFORD A. E.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1978.tb01630.x
Subject(s) - lichen , polyphosphate , metachromasia , fungus , algae , phosphate , biology , botany , phaeodactylum tricornutum , chemistry , biochemistry , staining , genetics
SUMMARY Using Toluidine Blue‐stained sections, metachromatic granules have been detected in the fungi of two different lichens. These are histochemically identical with similar granules found in the fungal component of mycorrhizas and, like those, appear to consist largely of poly‐phosphate. Small numbers of polyphosphate granules have been previously reported from the algal component of a lichen, but not from the fungus. In the material examined here, the size and number of granules in the fungus greatly exceeded those in the algae. These granules merit further investigation to evaluate their significance in ion uptake and accumulation within this symbiotic system.