Abstract
A crude enzyme preparation from the marine amoeba Trichosphaerium was used to produce protoplasts from Sargassum muticum, Macrocystis pyrifera Porphyra perforata, and other red and brown marcroalgae. Cortical and medullary protoplasts of Sargassum, which were impossible to obtain using mixtures of previously available enzymes have now been prepared. Intact inner cortical and medullary protoplasts of Macrocystis, which were not observed in past isolations were obtained. Improved protoplast yields of as much as 500 fold resulted from feeding the amoebae on specific seaweeds. Cuticles of live Sargassum and Macrocystis were digested easily by the amoebae. However cuticles of autoclaved Macrocystis and those of Porphyra (fresh or autoclaved) were eaten last. In spite of the absence of identifiable extracellular enzymatic activity in the medium the amoebae were able to ‘cut’ and consume live fronds and blocks of gelled agars carrageenans, and alginates.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cheney, D. P., E. Mar. & J. van der Meer, 1984. Protoplast production and culture in the agar-producing seaweed Gracilaria tikvahiae (Rhodophyta). J. Phycol. (Suppl.) 20: 21.
Fisher, D. & A. Gibor, 1987. Production of protoplasts from the brown alga, Sargassum muticum. Phycologia 26: 488–495.
Fujita, Y. & S. Migita, 1985. Isolation and culture of protoplasts from some seaweeds. Bull. Fac. Fish. Nagasaki Univ. 57: 39–45.
Kloareg, B., M. Polne-Fuller & A. Gibor, 1989. Mass production of viable protoplasts from Macrocystis pyrifera. Pl. Sci. 62: 105–112.
Liu, W. S., Y. Tang, X. W. Liu & T. C. Fang, 1984. Studies on the preparation and on the properties of sea snail enzymes. Proc. int. Seaweed Symp. 11: 319–320.
Polne-Fuller, M. & A. Gibor, 1984. Developmental studies of Porphyra species, I. Cell differentiation and protoplast regeneration in Porphyra perforata. J. Phycol. 20: 609–616.
Polne-Fuller, M., 1987a. A multinucleated marine amoeba which digest seaweeds. J. Protozool. 34: 159–165.
Polne-Fuller, M., 1987b. Cleaning of seaweed tissues (for protoplast research). In M. Indergaard, K. Ostgaard & M. Guiry (eds), Seaweed Protoplast and Tissue Culture; Proceedings workshop on biotechnology methods in seaweed cultivation. COST 48 ‘Aquatic Primary Biomass (marine macroalgae)’, Trondheim, Norway: 31–32, 41–43.
Provasoli, L., 1968. Media and prospects for the cultivation of marine algae. In A. Watanabe & A. Hattori (eds), Proc. U.S.-Japan Conf-Cultures and Collections of Algae: 63–75.
Saga, N. & Y. Sakai, 1984. Isolation of protoplasts from Laminaria and Porphyra. Bull. jap. Soc. sci. Fish. 50: 1085.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Polne-Fuller, M., Rogerson, A., Amano, H. et al. Digestion of seaweeds by the marine amoeba Trichosphaerium . Hydrobiologia 204, 409–413 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00040264
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00040264