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Effect of divalent cations on flagellar scales in the green flagellateTetraselmis cordiformis

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Summary

The structure and topography of flagellar scales (underlayer scales, rodshaped scales, hair-scales) in the green flagellateTetraselmis cordiformis has been studied in detail and the effect of divalent cations and fixation conditions on scale structure and topography was followed quantitatively. Hair-scales occur in two rows on opposite sides of a flagellum and are linked to the flagellar membrane and to two axonemal doublets by B-tubule-flagellar membrane connectives. Underlayer scales form about 24 longitudinal rows along the flagellum and occur in two distinctive shapes (pentagonal and square). The square shaped underlayer scales are related in position to the attachment sites of the hair-scales. Rod-shaped scales occur in about 20 longitudinal rows along the flagellum and are characteristically positioned as “double scales”. Calcium in the culture medium is necessary to retain rod-shaped scales on the flagellum, absence of calcium or chelation with EGTA or pyrophosphate leads to disappearance of rod-shaped scales from the flagellum. Other divalent cations can only partially substitute for calcium. It is suggested that calcium provides the linkage between underlayer scales and rod-shaped scales inTetraselmis. Flagellar scales inTetraselmis apparently fall into two categories: a) hair-scales (not affected by fixation or absence of divalent cations, firmly bound to axonemal microtubules via the flagellar membrane), b) underlayer scales and rod-shaped scales (affected by fixation and absence of divalent cations, kept on the flagellum mainly by electrostatic forces). The function of flagellar scales inTetraselmis is discussed.

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  1. Botanisches Institut, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Schlossgarten 3, D-4400, Münster, Germany

    M. Melkonian

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Melkonian, M. Effect of divalent cations on flagellar scales in the green flagellateTetraselmis cordiformis . Protoplasma 111, 221–233 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01281970

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01281970

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