Chemical Nature of the Cell Wall of the Green Algae, Codium, Acetabularia and Halicoryne

Abstract

THE chemical nature of the carbohydrates which constitute the main cell wall of the algae belonging to Codiaceae and Dasycladaceae has remained thus far largely obscure. Though the cell wall of Codium was said to consist of callose and pectin together with some cellulose¹, no chemical characterization of callose and algal pectin has yet been achieved, their occurrence being recognized merely by staining reactions and solubility tests. Likewise, no unequivocal proof for the presence in Codium of true cellulose has hitherto been obtained, although its occurrence has occasionally been reported^2,3. As for the cell-wall constituents of the members of Dasycladaceae almost nothing is known at present except the incrustation of calcium in the cell wall.