2004

2005

Title: Differences in the effects of metals on growth of two freshwater green algae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Korshikov) Hindak and Gonium pectorale Muller)

Author(s): Pereira MJ, Resende P, Azeiteiro UM, Oliveira J, de Figueiredo DR

Source: BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 75 (3): 515-522 SEP 2005

2002

Nozaki H, Takahara M, Nakazawa A, et al.

Evolution of rbcL group IA introns and intron open reading frames within the colonial Volvocales (Chlorophyceae)
MOL PHYLOGENET EVOL 23 (3): 326-338 JUN 2002

Abstract:
Mobile group I introns sometimes contain an open reading frame (ORE) possibly encoding a site-specific DNA endonuclease. However, previous phylogenetic studies have not clearly deduced the evolutionary roles of the group I intron ORFs. In this paper, we examined the phylogeny of group IA2 introns inserted in the position identical to that of the chloroplast-encoded rbcL coding region (rbcL-462 introns) and their ORFs from 13 strains of five genera (Volvox, Pleodorina, Volvulina, Astrephomene, and Gonium) of the colonial Volvocales (Chlorophyceae) and a related unicellular green alga, Vitreochlamys. The rbcL-462 introns contained an intact or degenerate ORE of various sizes except for the Gonium multicoccum rbcL-462 intron. Partial amino acid sequences of some rbcL-462 intron ORFs exhibited possible homology to the endo/excinuclease amino acid terminal domain. The distribution of the rbcL-462 introns is sporadic in the phylogenetic trees of the colonial Volvocales based on the five chloroplast exon sequences (6021 bp). Phylogenetic analyses of the conserved intron sequences resolved that the G. multicoccum rbcL-462 intron had a phylogenetic position separate from those of other colonial volvocalean rbcL-462 introns, indicating the recent horizontal transmission of the intron in the G. multicoccum lineage. However, the combined data set from conserved intron sequences and ORFs from most of the rbcL-462 introns resolved robust phylogenetic relationships of the introns that were consistent with those of the host organisms. Therefore, most of the extant rbcL-462 introns may have been vertically inherited from the common ancestor of their host organisms, whereas such introns may have been lost in other lineages during evolution of the colonial Volvocales. In addition, apparently higher synonymous substitutions than nonsynonymous substitutions in the rbcL-462 intron ORFs indicated that the ORFs might evolve under functional constraint, which could result in homing of the rbcL-462 intron in cases of spontaneous intron loss. On the other hand, the presence of intact to largely degenerate ORFs of the rbcL-462 introns within the three isolates of Gonium viridistellatum and the rare occurrence of the ORF-lacking rbcL-462 intron suggested that the ORF's might degenerate to result in the spontaneous intron loss during a very short evolutionary time following the loss of the ORF function. Thus, the sporadic distribution of the rbcL-462 introns within the colonial Volvocales can be largely explained by an equilibrium between maintenance of the introns by the intron ORF and spontaneous loss of introns when the introns do not have a functional ORE. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

2001

Coleman AW

Biogeography and speciation in the Pandorina/Volvulina (Chlorophyta) superclade
J PHYCOL 37 (5): 836-851 OCT 2001

Abstract:
Mating affinity, nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence, and geographic distribution of more than 100 isolates of Pandorina,Volvulina, and Yamagishiella were determined. Comparative analysis of ITS sequences reaffirmed the unity of Pandorina morum and its separation from all other species of Volvocaceae except those of Volvulina. This latter genus, represented by four species, appears to represent only morphological variants of several P. morum subclades. The P. morum clade (including also additional species such as P. smithii and P. colemaniae) encompasses an evolutionary span, as determined by comparison of ITS, greater than either of the multispecies genera Gonium or Eudorina. There are at least 30 Pandorina/Volvulina syngens, sexually isolated groups, so far as can be determined, among the current collection of strains. In addition, as in other volvocacaean genera, two clones are homothallic, capable of forming zygotes within a genetic clone. The existence of so many syngens suggests that considerable evolutionary diversification of the genes controlling gamete compatibility and intercross survival has occurred, unaccompanied by significant morphological change. Within each syngen, genetic distance increases with geographic distance between collection sites. At least half of the isolates studied must have been introduced northward since the Pleistocene. Although we probably know more about characters in this group of algae than any other algal group, in part because they are so easy to culture, we are still largely ignorant of what circumscribes their niche in nature. The study of all these organisms, distributed throughout the world presumably by the activities of shorebirds, emphasizes the evolutionary role of mating genes in the inevitable formation of new genetically isolated subclades in these eukaryotes and provides initial data on their rate of appearance versus their rate of distribution over the earth.

1999

Nozaki H, Ohta N, Takano H, et al.

Reexamination of phylogenetic relationships within the colonial Volvocales (Chlorophyta): An analysis of atpB and rbcL gene sequences
J PHYCOL 35 (1): 104-112 FEB 1999

Abstract:
The chloroplast-encoded atpB gene was sequenced from 33 strains representing 28 species of the colonial Volvocales (the Volvocaceae and its relatives) to reexamine phylogenetic relationships as previously deduced by morphological data and rbcL gene sequence data.1128 base pairs in the coding regions of the atpB gene were analyzed by MP, NJ, and ML analyses, Although supported with relatively low bootstrap values (75% and 65% in the NJ and ML analyses, respectively), three anisogamous/oogamous volvocacean genera-Eudorina, Pleodorina, and Volvox, excluding the section Volvox(= Euvolvox, illegitimate name), constituted a large monophyletic group (Eudorina group), Outside the Eudorina group, a robust Lineage composed of three species of Volvox sect, Volvox was resolved as in the rbcL gene trees, rejecting the hypothesis of the previous cladistic analysis based on morphological data that the genus Volvox is monophyletic, In addition, the NJ and ML trees suggested that Eudorina is a non-monophyletic genus as inferred from the morphological data and rbcL gene sequences. Although phylogenetic status of the genus Gonium is ambiguous in the rbcL gene trees and the paraphyly of this genus is resolved in the cladistic analysis based on morphological data, the atpB gene sequence data suggest monophyly of Gonium with relatively low bootstrap values (56-61%) in the NJ and ML trees. On the basis of the combined sequence data (2256 base pairs) from atpB and rbcL genes, Gonium was resolved as a robust monophyletic genus in the NJ and ML trees (with 68-86% bootstrap values), and Eudorina elegans Ehrenberg represented a paraphyletic species positioned most basally within the Eudorina group, However, phylogenetic status and relationships of the families of the colonial Volvocales were still almost ambiguous even in the combined analysis.

Fabry S, Kohler A, Coleman AW

Intraspecies analysis: Comparison of ITS sequence data and gene intron sequence data with breeding data for a worldwide collection of Gonium pectorale
J MOL EVOL 48 (1): 94-101 JAN 1999

Abstract:
The morphologically uniform species Gonium pectorale is a colonial green flagellate of worldwide distribution. The affinities of 25 isolates from 18 sites on five continents were assessed by both DNA sequence comparisons and sexual compatibility. Complete sequences were obtained (i) for the internal transcribed spacer ITS-1 and ITS-2 regions of ribosomal DNA and (ii) for each of three single-copy spliceosomal introns, two in a small G protein and one in the actin gene. ITS sequences appeared to homogenize sufficiently rapidly to behave as a single copy gene. Intron sequence differences between isolates in this species reached nucleotide substitution saturation, while ITS sequences did not. Parsimony and evolutionary distance analysis of the two types of DNA data gave essentially the same tree conformation. By all these criteria, the group of G. pectorale isolates fell into two main clades, A and B. Clade A, with isolates from four continents, was comprised of four subclades of quite closely related isolates, plus one strain of ambiguous affinity. Clade B was comprised of two subclades represented by South African and South American isolates, respectively; thus, only subclades of clade B showed geographical localization. With respect to mating, all isolates except one homothallic strain and one apparently sterile strain fell into either one or the other of two mating types. Pairings in all possible combinations revealed that isolates from the same site formed abundant zygotes, which germinated to produce new, sexually active organisms. Zygotes were also formed in many pairings of other combinations, including crosses of clade A with clade B organisms, but none of the latter produced viable germlings. The ability to mate and produce viable progeny that were themselves capable of sexual reproduction was restricted to members of subclades established on the basis of DNA sequence similarities. Thus, the grades of difference in both nuclear intron sequences and rDNA ITS sequences paralleled those observed in the sexual analysis.

1998

Coleman AW, Preparata RM, Mehrotra B, et al.

Derivation of the secondary structure of the ITS-1 transcript in volvocales and its taxonomic correlations
PROTIST 149 (2): 135-146 MAY 1998

Abstract:
Knowledge of secondary structure, formed by the gene spacer regions of the primary transcript of nuclear rDNA cistrons, is lacking for most phyla of eukaryotes. We have sequenced the first internal transcribed spacer region (ITS-1) of multiple representatives of the Volvocales, and from comparisons of these, derived a secondary structure common to the entire group. The secondary structure model is supported by numerous compensating base pair changes located within the paired regions of the stem-loops. Within the morphological species, such as those of Astrephomene and Gonium, the three basal nucleotide pairs of helices are highly conserved in primary sequence, and the single stranded region rich in CCAA is identical in sequence, even when isolates come from all continents of the earth. In other Volvocacean species known to include many pairs of mating types, this same level of conservation is found to correlate with the mating subgroups of the species. Thus a comparable degree of sequence similarity appears to characterize all isolates of a "biological" species; this is valid for taxonomic species only where the biological and taxonomic species levels coincide. In addition, the ITS-1 contains information useful for population analyses, and spacer secondary structure may have additional phylogenetic utility at the level of class or subclass when that information becomes available for other protistan groups.

Nozaki H, Ohta N, Yamada T, et al.

Characterization of rbcL group IA introns from two colonial volvocalean species (Chlorophyceae)
PLANT MOL BIOL 37 (1): 77-85 MAY 1998

Abstract:
Group I introns were reported for the first time in the large subunit of Rubisco (rbcL) genes, using two colonial green algae, Pleodorina californica and Gonium multicoccum (Volvocales). The rbcL gene of P. californica contained an intron (PlC intron) of 1320 bp harboring an open reading frame (ORF). The G. multicoccum rbcL gene had two ORF-lacking introns of 549 (GM1 intron) and 295 (GM2 intron) base pairs. Based on the conserved nucleotide sequences of the secondary structure, the PlC and GM1 introns were assigned to group IA2 whereas the GM2 intron belonged to group IA1. Southern hybridization analyses of nuclear and chloroplast DNAs indicated that such intron-containing rbcL genes are located in the chloroplast genome. Sequencing RNAs from the two algae revealed that these introns are spliced out during mRNA maturation. In addition, the PlC and GM1 introns were inserted in the same position of the rbcL exons, and phylogenetic analysis of group IA introns indicated a close phylogenetic relationship between the PlC and GM1 introns within the lineage of bacteriophage group IA2 introns. However, P. californica and G. multicoccum occupy distinct clades in the phylogenetic trees of the colonial Volvocales, and the majority of other colonial volvocalean species do not have such introns in the rbcL genes. Therefore, these introns might have been recently inserted in the rbcL genes independently by horizontal transmission by viruses or bacteriophage.

Haller K, Fabry S

Brefeldin A affects synthesis and integrity of a eukaryotic flagellum
BIOCHEM BIOPH RES CO 242 (3): 597-601 JAN 26 1998

Abstract:
Eukaryotic flagella and cilia are highly dynamic organelles. In green algae like Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, flagella absorption and resynthesis is a normal process during the vegetative cell cycle. Rapid regeneration also occurs after stress-induced shedding of flagella. Ca2+ ions, protein synthesis, and a kinase activity are the main factors known to affect resynthesis. Recently, we have detected that certain small G proteins (Ypt/Rab) and a GTPase regulator (GDP dissociation inhibitor), known as regulatory elements of intracellular vesicle transport, are present in flagellar membranes of green algae, raising the possibility that the organelle's synthesis and/or integrity depends on functional membrane traffic. In this study, we examined the effect of brefeldin A (BFA), an inhibitor of intracellular membrane flow and Golgi function in animal and plant cells, on flagella regeneration in the colonial green alga Gonium pectorale. We show that low BFA concentrations (<1 mu g/ml) inhibit flagella outgrowth, while higher amounts cause dose-dependent deflagellation and cell death. Our findings provide experimental evidence for a direct connection between intracellular transport and eukaryotic flagella synthesis. (C) 1998 Academic Press.

1995

FAWLEY MW, BUCHHEIM MA

LOROXANTHIN, A PHYLOGENETICALLY USEFUL CHARACTER IN CHLAMYDOMONAS AND OTHER CHLOROPHYCEAN FLAGELLATES
J PHYCOL 31 (4): 664-667 AUG 1995

Abstract:
The distribution of loroxanthin in chlorophycean flagellates is consistent with their phylogeny as inferred from molecular and organismal characters. Although polarity of this character cannot yet be determined, if the absence of loroxanthin is plesiomorphic for chlorophycean flagellates, the presence of loroxanthin defines a clade that includes the Euchlamydomonas morphological group, two other species of Chlamydomonas, C, asymmetrica and C. oblonga, and Gonium pectorale. A subsequent reversal to loroxanthin absence is apomorphic for the more complex volvocacean taxa. These results suggest that loroxanthin distribution will be useful for resolving phylogenetic questions in green algae.

1994

HOOPS HJ, LONG JJ, HILE ES

FLAGELLAR APPARATUS STRUCTURE IS SIMILAR BUT NOT IDENTICAL IN VOLVULINA-STEINII, EUDORINA-ELEGANS, AND PLEODORINA-ILLINOISENSIS (CHLOROPHYTA) - IMPLICATIONS FOR THE VOLVOCINE EVOLUTIONARY LINEAGE
J PHYCOL 30 (4): 679-689 AUG 1994

Abstract:
The colonial and multicellular members of the Volvocales can be arranged in order of increasing size and complexity as the ''volvocine series.'' This series is often assumed to reflect an evolutionary progression. The flagellar apparatuses of previously examined algae are not consistent with a simple lineage. The flagellar apparatuses of Astrephomene gubernaculifera Pocock, Gonium pectorale Muller, Platydorina caudata Kofoid, Volvox rousseletii G. S. West, and V. carteri f. weismannia (Powers) Iyengar differ from one another, and there is no apparent progression in flagellar apparatus features from the simple to complex colonial forms. We examined the flagellar apparatuses of Volvulina steinii Playfair, Eudorina elegans Ehr., and Pleodorina illinoisensis Kofoid and found then to be similar to one another. The basal bodies ave connected by a distal fiber that is offset to the anti side of the cell. Two microtubular rootlets originate on the inside of the basal bodies and extend toward the syn side. The other two rootlets are oriented perpendicular to the first two and are anti-parallel to each other. A coarsely striated component underlies the four-membered rootlets and extends to the basal bodies. A proximal fiber complex connects the two basal bodies. This complex consists of a branched striated component on the cis side of each basal body. One part extends toward the anti side of the cell, while the other extends into a fibrous component that runs between basal bodies. An additional structure extends in the anti direction from the trans side of each basal body. A fibrous component extends past one basal body in all four species. This component goes past the trans basal body in Volvulina steinii and the cis basal body in E. elegans and P. illinoisensis. The flagellar apparatuses of these organisms are similar to those of G. pectorale and Volvox carteri but different from the other colonial volvocalean algae examined. The algae examined in this study plus G. pectorale and V. carteri probably share a common evolutionary history that postdates the transition from the unicellular to colonial habit. Such a shared evolutionary history is a requirement of the volvocine hypothesis. However, we have not observed progressive changes in the flagellar apparatus correlated with increasing cell number, differentiation, and sexual specialization. Thus, it is possible, but not certain, that G. pectorale, Volvulina steinii, E. elegans, P. illinoisensis, and Volvox carteri may form part of a volvocine lineage.

NOZAKI H, KUROIWA H, KUROIWA T

LIGHT AND ELECTRON-MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF 2 TYPES OF PYRENOIDS IN GONIUM (GONIACEAE, CHLOROPHYTA)
J PHYCOL 30 (2): 279-290 APR 1994

Abstract:
The single, basal pyrenoids of Gonium quadratum Pringsheim ex Nozaki and G. pectorale Muller (Goniaceae, Chlorophyta) differed in appearance when vegetative colonies were cultured photoheterotrophically in medium containing sodium acetate. Chloroplasts of G. quadratum had distinct pyrenoids when grown in medium without major carbon compounds. However, the pyrenoids degenerated and were markedly reduced in size when such cells were inoculated into a medium containing 400 mg.L-1 of sodium acetate. No pyrenoids were visible under the light microscope; however, with electron microscopy small pyrenoids and electron-dense bodies were visible within the degenerating chloroplasts, which had only single layers of thylakoid lamellae at the periphery. The chloroplasts subsequently developed distinct pyrenoids and several layers of thylakoid lamellae as the culture aged. In contrast, vegetative cells of G. pectorale always showed distinct pyrenoids when cells were inoculated into medium containing sodium acetate, sodium pyruvic acid, sodium lactate, and/or yeast extract. Therefore, we propose two terms, ''unstable pyrenoids'' and ''stable pyrenoids, '' for pyrenoids of G. quadratum and G. pectorale, respectively. Chloroplasts of the colonial green flagellates should thus be examined under various culture conditions in order to determine whether their pyrenoids are unstable or stable when pyrenoids are used as taxonomic indicators. Immunogold electron microscopy showed that the ratios of gold particle density of ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) between pyrenoid matrix and chloroplast stroma in G. quadratum grown in medium with or without sodium acetate were lower than those of G. pectorale. Heavy labeling by anti-RuBisCO was observed in both the electron-dense bodies and pyrenoid matrix of G. quadratum. This is the first electron microscopic demonstration of degeneration and development of both pyrenoids and thylakoid lamallae in the chloroplast as a function of culture condition in green algae.

NOZAKI H, ITOH M

PHYLOGENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE COLONIAL VOLVOCALES (CHLOROPHYTA) INFERRED FROM CLADISTIC-ANALYSIS BASED ON MORPHOLOGICAL DATA
J PHYCOL 30 (2): 353-365 APR 1994

Abstract:
A cladistic analysis was used to deduce the phylogenetic relationships within the colonial Volvocales. Forty-one pairs of characters related to gross morphology and ultrastructure of vegetative colonies as well as asexual and sexual reproduction were analyzed based on parsimony, using the PAUP 3.0 computer program, for 25 species belonging to nine volvocacean and goniacean genera of the colonial Volvocales. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Dangeard was the outgroup. The strict consensus tree indicated the presence of two monophyletic groups, one composed of all the volvocacean species analyzed in this study and the other containing the goniacean species except for the four-celled species Gonium sociale (Dujardin) Warming. In addition, these two groups constitute a large monophyletic group, to which G. sociale is a sister group. A new combination Tetrabaena socialis (Dujardin) Nozaki et Itoh and a new family Tetrabaenaceae Nozaki et Itoh are thus proposed for G. sociale. In addition, the analysis suggests that the volvocacean genera Eudorina and Pleodorina are paraphyletic groups, respectively, and that the monotypic genus Yamagishiella has no autapomorphic characters and represents primitive features of the anisogamous and oogamous genera of the Volvocaceae. Phylogenetic relationships within the Volvocaceae and the Goniaceae, as well as the various modes of sexual reproduction exhibited by these organisms, are discussed on the basis of the analysis.

COLEMAN AW, SUAREZ A, GOFF LJ

MOLECULAR DELINEATION OF SPECIES AND SYNGENS IN VOLVOCACEAN GREEN-ALGAE (CHLOROPHYTA)
J PHYCOL 30 (1): 80-90 FEB 1994

Abstract:
Two species of the colonial flagellate family Volvocaceae are worldwide in distribution yet exhibit contrasting species structure. Geographically disparate isolates of Gonium pectorale Mueller can interbreed while isolates of Pandorina morum Bory behave quite differently, More than 20 sexually isolated subpopulations occur within this species; these have been termed ''syngens'' (sensu Sonneborn). Because prezygotic barriers to mating cause intersyngen pairings to fail, breeding analyses cannot be used to estimate genetic relatedness among the syngens of P. morum. DNA comparisons provide an alternative method of assessing genetic relatedness. We compared the nucleotide sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nuclear ribosomal repeat among clones of P. morum and of G. pectorale. Members of syngens of P. morum with distribution restricted to one small geographical area show great similarity. Likewise, members of any syngen of worldwide distribution show near uniformity, even those from different continents. However, the ITS sequence of each syngen differs from that of other syngens. In contrast, G. pectorale, which has an ITS region that is remarkably uniform throughout the world, appears to consist of a single syngen within North America and Europe by mating tests. The molecular data are in complete conformity with previous syngen assignment. Because the latter is based on mating affinity, with two complementary mating types per syngen, the evolution of new mating type pairs appears to be the basis of microevolution in these algae. We infer that either P. morum is a more ancient species than G. pectorale or that P. morum has a less stable genome. In either case, the biogeographic distribution of certain syngens may reflect climatological changes of the past.

1993

NOZAKI H

ASEXUAL AND SEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN GONIUM-QUADRATUM (CHLOROPHYTA) WITH A DISCUSSION OF PHYLOGENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE GONIACEAE
J PHYCOL 29 (3): 369-376 JUN 1993

Abstract:
Morphological details of asexual and sexual reproduction in Gonium quadratum Pringsheim ex Nozaki (Goniaceae, Chlorophyta) were observed by light microscopy, based on clonal cultured materials originating from Nepal. In asexual reproduction, the alga exhibited two different patterns of cell cleavage during formation of 8- and 16-celled daughter colonies. Sexual reproduction was heterothallic and isogamous. The gametes bore a tubular mating structure (bilateral mating papilla) at the base of the flagella, and plasmogamy was initiated by the union of the tips of the papillae of the two gametes. The germinating zygote gave rise to four biflagellate gone cells joined in a colony (germ colony). Possible phylogenetic relationships within the Goniaceae at the species level are outlined, mainly on the basis of reproduction characteristics.

1992

LARSON A, KIRK MM, KIRK DL

MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY OF THE VOLVOCINE FLAGELLATES
MOL BIOL EVOL 9 (1): 85-105 JAN 1992

Abstract:
Phylogenetic studies of approximately 2,000 bases of sequence from the large and small nuclear-encoded ribosomal RNAs are used to investigate the origins of the genus Volvox. The colonial and multicellular genera currently placed in the family Volvocaceae form a monophyletic group that is significantly closer phylogenetically to Chlamydomonas reinhardtii than it is to the other unicellular green flagellates that were tested, including Chlamydomonas eugametos, Chlorella pyrenoidosa, and Haematococcus lacustris. Statistical analysis of 251 phylogenetically informative nucleotide positions rejects the "volvocine lineage" hypothesis, which postulates a monophyletic evolutionary progression from unicellular organisms (such as Chlamydomonas), through colonial organisms (e.g., Gonium, Pandorina, Eudorina, and Pleodorina) demonstrating increasing size, cell number, and tendency toward cellular differentiation, to multicellular organisms having fully differentiated somatic and reproductive cells (in the genus Volvox). The genus Volvox appears not to be monophyletic. Volvox capensis falls outside a lineage containing other representatives of Volvox(V. aureus, V. carteri, and V. obversus), and both of these Volvox lineages are more closely related to certain colonial genera than they are to each other. This implies either a diphyletic origin of Volvox from different colonial volvocacean ancestors, a phylogenetic derivation of some of the colonial genera from a multicellular (i.e., Volvox) ancestor, or both. Considered together with previously published observations, these results suggest that the different levels of organizational and developmental complexity found in the Volvocaceae represent alternative stable states, among which evolutionary transitions have occurred several times during the phylogenetic history of this group.

1991

NOZAKI H, KUROIWA T

MORPHOLOGY AND SEXUAL REPRODUCTION OF GONIUM-MULTICOCCUM (VOLVOCALES, CHLOROPHYTA) FROM NEPAL
PHYCOLOGIA 30 (5): 381-393 SEP 1991

Abstract:
Strains of Gonium (Volvocales, Chlorophyta) were isolated from a soil sample collected in Nepal. They generally produced 16- or 32-celled colonies with multipyrenoid cells, but 8-celled colonies were occasionally observed. Vegetative morphology observed by light and electron microscopy and embryogenesis indicated that this entity is referable to multicoccum Pocock, but differs in some respects from the original description of G. multicoccum. In addition, sexual reproduction in these Nepalese strains was unusual with regard to gametic union and zygote germination. Isogametes lacked tubular mating structures (mating papillae), which are seen in the anterior region of the gametes in other Gonium species as well as in other isogamous genera of the volvocacean and astrephomenacean algae. Plasmogamy was initiated by direct attachment between the surfaces of the two gametic protoplasts. The attaching sites were apparently randomly located on the gametic protoplasts. The germinating zygote usually gave rise to four separate biflagellate gone cells, rather than a colony of four.

SAKO Y, SHRESTHA K, UCHIDA A, et al.

ISOZYME ANALYSIS OF MATING POPULATIONS OF GONIUM-PECTORALE (CHLOROPHYTA)
J PHYCOL 27 (2): 309-315 APR 1991

Abstract:
Intraspecific variation among 36 strains of the freshwater alga Gonium pectorale Muller (Chlorophyceae) isolated from three geographically different locations in Tibet, Nepal, and Japan was investigated by isozyme analysis. Variation in isozyme patterns of eight enzyme systems (malate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, tetrazolium oxidase, lactate dehydrogenase, octanol dehydrogenase, xanthine dehydrogenase, phosphoglucomutase, and malic enzyme) of axenic and clonal cultures was revealed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Unweighted average linkage clustering, based on Jaccard's similarity coefficient, illustrated the high similarity between most strains from Nepal and all strains from the Ryukyu Islands (Japan). However, there was relatively low similarity between strains from Tibet and those from Nepal and Japan. Strains from the Ryukyu Islands (Japan) grouped into two clusters, and most Nepalese strains formed a single cluster, but Tibetan strains were heterogenous.