Synthesis of a callosic substance during rhizoid differentiation in Spirogyra.
Spirogyra living in running water is anchored to the substratum by rhizoids that form at the ends of the filaments. A new terminal cell differentiates into a rhizoid cell if the filament is injured. The mode of growth changes from diffuse to tip growth when rhizoid differentiation begins. In this study, we found that a callosic substance was synthesized during rhizoid differentiation. Decreasing the cell turgor, lowering extracellular Ca2+ or adding Gd3+, all inhibited the commencement of rhizoid differentiation as well as synthesis of the callose-like substance at the tip of the terminal cell. A callosic substance was also synthesized during formation of the conjugation tube.
Yamada
Shin-ya
SY
Department of Life Science, Graduate School of Science, Himeji Institute of Technology, Harima Science Park City, Hyogo, 678-1297 Japan.
Sonobe
Seiji
S
Shimmen
Teruo
T
D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000378:metabolism; D009024:Morphogenesis
D005682:Gadolinium; D002118:Calcium