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Lipid synthesis and extrusion by freshly isolated zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae)

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Abstract

Zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae) from the same head of Stylophora pistillata were isolated at different times of the day over a period of 5 d and examined by phase contrast light microscopy. The percentage of isolated algal cells with extruding (blebbing) triglyceride droplets reached a maximum value of 11–13% between 14:00 and 19:00 hrs and exhibited a minimum value of 5–7% in the early morning. Wax esters were not synthesized by isolated algae. The diameter of the fat droplets varied from <1 μm to over 5 μm. Droplets appeared to originate within and were held next to the algal cell by the limiting outer membrane of the algal cell. Various stages of extrusion or sloughing of outer limiting membrane vesicles by the algal cells were observed. Although these spherical vesicles often contained fat droplets, their density was high enough that they often sedimented with the algal cells during gentle (1 000 g's) centrifugation. The percentage of freshly isolated cells undergoing division averaged 2% with a slightly higher value of 4% observed in the early morning. Microscopic evidence suggests that fat droplets and vesicles of outer limiting membrane from zooxanthellae are translocated into animal cells during coelenterate symbiosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, 30602, Athens, Georgia, USA

    J. S. Patton

  2. Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, 16802, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA

    J. E. Burris

Authors
  1. J. S. Patton
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  2. J. E. Burris
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Communicated by S. K. Pierce, College Park

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Patton, J.S., Burris, J.E. Lipid synthesis and extrusion by freshly isolated zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae). Mar. Biol. 75, 131–136 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00405995

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