Premium
A FLAVIN‐LIKE AUTOFLUORESCENT SUBSTANCE IN THE POSTERIOR FLAGELLUM OF GOLDEN AND BROWN ALGAE 1
Author(s) -
Kawai Hiroshi
Publication year - 1988
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.1529-8817.1988.tb04464.x
Subject(s) - flagellum , phototaxis , flagellate , biology , eyespot , chlamydomonas , zoospore , botany , algae , flavin group , sperm , axoneme , biophysics , biochemistry , spore , gene , mutant , enzyme
An autofluorescent substance occurs in the flagella of flagellate cells of the golden and brown algae. It is localized only in the posterior (short) flagellum and could not be detected in the anterior (long) one. It showed maximum fluorescence emission at 515–520 nm upon excitation of 440 nm; therefore, it is considered to be a flavin. This substance is distributed widely among flagellate cells of golden and brown algae irrespective of their nature (vegetative cells, zoospores, gametes, or sperm). It is absent, however, in some brown algal zoospores and sperm which lack an eyespot and flagellar swelling and are considered to lack phototaxis. Because the flagellar swelling in the posterior flagellum is a presumptive photoreceptor for phototaxis in these groups, it is suggested that the flavin located in the posterior flagellum acts as a photoreceptor pigment in phototaxis.