Ultrastructural studies of primary spores of Conidiobolus, Erynia, and related Entomophthorales

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (9) ◽  
pp. 2576-2589 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Latgé ◽  
D. F. Perry ◽  
M. C. Prévost ◽  
R. A. Samson

Wall development during primary spore formation, discharge, and germination of Entomophthorales is emphasized in ultrastructural studies of Conidiobolus, Entomophaga, Neozygites, and Erynia. In the fungi examined, spore and sporophore walls consist of a thick, electron-translucent inner layer and a thin, electron-dense outer layer. During spore formation, cytoplasm of the supporting sporophore cell migrates into the spore initial. As the former cell empties, a septum develops. Discharge is caused by inversion of the papillum, which lacks the electron-dense layer. Only in Erynia did the two spore wall layers separate upon impact. Intracytoplasmic organization of the primary spore is typical of the Zygomycotina; the morphology of organelles was characteristic of species, whereas nuclear ultrastructure was consistent within genera. Conidiobolus nuclei have a prominent nucleolus that lacks heterochromatin, in contrast with the other genera where large patches of heterochromatin were observed. Upon germination, no rupture of the spore outer layer was observed other than at points of germ tube emergence. The germ tube wall was continuous with the inner spore wall layer. The results are discussed in reference to Entomophthorales taxonomy and definition of the terms conidium and monosporous sporangiolum.


1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 698-705 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Beckett

Ascospore germination in Daldinia concentrica has been studied using light and electron microscope techniques. Preliminary observations indicated that lipid globules were utilized during early stages of germination. Apical wall vesicles were localized during germ tube initiation and were involved in the differentiation of a filamentous germ tube. Wall synthesis occurred during germination and resulted in a new wall layer, which was different in ultratexture to the spore wall and which formed the germ tube wall. Possible implications of the concept of spore wall and vegetative wall types during germination are discussed.



1975 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Paden

Ascospores of Cookeina sulcipes germinate by one of two modes: (1) by the production of blastoconidia on sympodially proliferating conidiogenous cells which may arise from any point on the spore surface, and (2) by a thick polar germ tube. No ascospores were seen to germinate both ways. The conidiogenous cells are occasionally modified into narrow hyphae. The blastoconidia germinate readily but are evidently very short-lived. Ascospores of Phillipsia crispata germinate by two polar germ tubes; there is no formation of blastoconidia. In both species the inner ascospore wall separated from an outer wall layer during germination. In culture both C. sulcipes and P. crispata form arthroconidia. The arthroconidia are uninucleate; they germinate readily and reproduce the species when transferred to fresh plates.



1982 ◽  
Vol 60 (11) ◽  
pp. 2313-2324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael T. Higham ◽  
Kathleen M. Cole

Spore development was studied in Choanephora cucurbitarum by using transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Sporangioles are produced by expansion of the ampulla wall. A two-layered spore wall is then constructed within the spine-covered sporangiole wall. The outer spore wall layer is longitudinally grooved and is devoid of spines or appendages. The inner wall layer is thinner and electron transparent. During wall production, dark-staining granular vesicles were observed in the spore cytoplasm. Their contents stained similarly to the material of the outer wall layer. Mature spores possessed a third, innermost wall layer. This was identified as a new wall layer, which was continuous with the germ-tube wall of germinated spores. Released spores were observed to be contained within the sporangiole during dispersal and germination.



1978 ◽  
Vol 56 (22) ◽  
pp. 2865-2872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ichiko Tsuneda ◽  
Lorene L. Kennedy

Germination of basidiospores in Fomes fomentarius (Fries) Kickx is bipolar with germ tubes emerging at both ends. Ungerminated spores are smooth with a thick cell wall consisting of two layers: an outer thin, electron-dense layer and an inner thick, electron-light layer. During the early stage of germination, two additional cell wall layers are formed: a very thin, electron-dense layer and a relatively thick, electron-light layer. Germ tube walls originate from these newly formed, inner layers. Ungerminated spores are uninucleate and contain numerous lipid bodies, ribosomes, and cisternae of endoplasmic reticulum. Germinated spores have distinct mitochondria and an invaginated plasma membrane and are usually devoid of endoplasmic reticulum.



1979 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 808-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. L. Stevenson ◽  
S. A. W. E. Becker

A number of features not described previously has been revealed in electron-microscope studies of mature chlamydospores of Fusarium oxysporum. On the maturation of one isolate, many spores formed a thick matrix-like layer containing electron-dense particles on the exterior surface of the spore wall. In thin sections of mature chlamydospores of the same isolate, cisternae of endoplasmic reticulum surrounding, and in close apposition to, the limiting boundary of the lipid bodies were revealed.The germination of chlamydospores was accompanied by (a) the rapid appearance of polysaccharide deposits and changes in the configuration of some subcellular organelles, (b) the formation of a new wall layer between the plasma membrane and the innermost layer of the spore Wall, (c) the rupture of the outermost coats of the spore wall, and (d) the emergence of the germ tube as an extension of the new wall layer.



1972 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 1717-1719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth E. Stevenson ◽  
Reese H. Vaughn

The ultrastructure of spores of Clostridium botulinum strains 78A, 17B (nonproteolytic), and C51C3 was investigated. Electron photomicrographs revealed the following: strain 78A: the oval spores, enveloped by multilayered exosporia, were normally found within swollen sporangia. The spore coat contained a distinct outer layer and a thicker inner coat. Strain 17B: the oval spores were covered by open-ended, sheath-like exosporia. Some spores were enclosed within slightly swollen sporangia, while most were present as free spores. A layered, electron-translucent outer coat and an electron-dense inner coat comprised the spore coat. Strain C51C3: the oval to cylindrical spores were seldom found within intact sporangia. The spore coat was a single, thin, electron-dense layer. Exosporial layers were in apposition to the spore coat.



1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (11) ◽  
pp. 1761-1767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Tzu Li ◽  
James W. Kimbrough

Pseudoplectania and Plectania currently belong to the Sarcosomataceae, tribe Sarcosomateae, a group with members lacking cyanophilic spore markings (absorbing a blue stain). The two genera are morphologically similar in having blackish discoid-shaped apothecia but differ in having globose and ellipsoid spores, respectively. Ultrastructural studies show that ascospores of Pseudoplectania nigrella (Pers. ex Fr.) Fuckel lack a secondary wall layer. On the contrary, Plectania nannfeldtii Korf has secondary spore wall ornamentation that is cyanophilic under a light microscope. The data suggest retention of Pseudoplectania nigrella in the Sarcosomateae; however, the position of certain species of Plectania needs to be reevaluated. Key words: Pezizales, Plectania, Pseudoplectania, Sarcosomataceae, spore ontogeny, ultrastructure.



Author(s):  
P. M. Lowrie ◽  
W. S. Tyler

The importance of examining stained 1 to 2μ plastic sections by light microscopy has long been recognized, both for increased definition of many histologic features and for selection of specimen samples to be used in ultrastructural studies. Selection of specimens with specific orien ation relative to anatomical structures becomes of critical importance in ultrastructural investigations of organs such as the lung. The uantity of blocks necessary to locate special areas of interest by random sampling is large, however, and the method is lacking in precision. Several methods have been described for selection of specific areas for electron microscopy using light microscopic evaluation of paraffin, epoxy-infiltrated, or epoxy-embedded large blocks from which thick sections were cut. Selected areas from these thick sections were subsequently removed and re-embedded or attached to blank precasted blocks and resectioned for transmission electron microscopy (TEM).



Mycologia ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 85 (6) ◽  
pp. 883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonor C. Maia ◽  
James W. Kimbrough ◽  
Gerald Benny


1982 ◽  
Vol 60 (11) ◽  
pp. 2394-2409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy Curtiss Brown ◽  
Betty E. Lemmon ◽  
Zane B. Carothers

The spore wall of Sphagnum is unique in the Bryophyta. The Sphagnum spore exine consists of two layers: an inner, lamellate layer (A layer) and a thick, homogenous, outer layer (B layer). The exine of other mosses consists of only the outermost homogenous layer and, at most, a thin ill-defined opaque layer. During development of the A-layer exine and the intine, a cortical system of evenly spaced microtubules underlies the plasma membrane. The ontogeny of the wall layers is not strictly centripetal. The A-layer exine develops evenly around the young spore immediately after cytokinesis. As the intine is deposited centripetally inside it, the homogenous B-layer exine is deposited outside the first-formed A layer. The B layer is responsible for the primary sculpturing of the spore surface. The mature spore is covered by an outermost perine, which is responsible for secondary surface ornamentation. A trilaesurate aperture develops on the proximal surface of each spore after deposition of the A layer. Ridges of the laesurae develop as a result of deposition of thick areas of intine. The ridges are eventually covered by the outer wall layers, whereas the fissure is covered only by the A layer and a very thin B-layer exine. The complex development of the trilaesurate aperture is evidence that the structure is not merely a mechanically induced "trilete mark" or "scar" resulting from compression of tetrahedrally arranged spores within a sporocyte wall.



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