Rhodophyta Flashcards
Majority of seaweeds are what type of algae
Red- more diverse than all other seaweed groups combined
Where is red/ brown algae dominate
Where is green algae dominant
Tropical and temperate
Polar and sun polar
__________ algae are one of the oldest groups of eukaryotic algae
Red
Chloroplasts of red algae appear to have originated from ________ by ______ endosymbiosis
Cyanobacteria
Primary
The major feature of a red algal cell are a chloroplast with _________ per band and only _____ chloroplast membranes
One thylakoid
2
What phylum have Floridean starch grains in cytoplasm
Red algae
Rhodophyta
Floridian starch grains
Long term storage product
Similar to amylopectin of higher plants, is highly branched and resembles Cyanobacteria starch
(No amylose like green algae)
Starch grains cluster around ________ of chloroplast in primitive red algae
Pyrenoid body
Thylakoid structures in Rhodophyta
Unstacked (simile to Cyanobacteria)
Phycobilisomes occur on the surface of the thylakoids
Chlorophyll a found in the chloroplasts and carotenoids: zeaxanthin
Accessory pigments: phycoerythrin: absorption in green and reflect red
Chromatic variation
Colour of red algae varies depending on where it grows
-orange/red light (long wavelength)->phycocyanins
-green light (short wavelength)->phycoerythrin
Species may be yellow-green when growing in the intertidal zone or deep purple when growing 10-20m below the surface (Subtidal zone)
Ratio of phycoerythrin to chlorophyll is much greater at low light intensisties
Sulfated polysaccharides
Typical for many red algae
-major constituents of agar (less sulfated) and carrageenans (more sulfated)-> extracted for commercial uses
Agar
Mainly obtained commercially from species Gelidium, pterocladia
-collected by diving, dragging and raking at low tide
-agar extracted under pressure in autoclave, decolonized and deodorized with activated charcoal, filtered-> food and drug
Calcification of Rhodophyta
-Coralline red algae=heavily calcified walls
-helps establish fossil record
-crystalline calcite (forms of CaCO3)
-possible that CaCO3 formation helps hard best nutrients
Red algae were probably the first __________
Why?
Multicellular organisms
-conspired of cellulosic microfibril network+amorphous matrix of sulphated polysaccharide polymers and mucigel
-sulfated polysaccharide polymers create a multicellular organism by hankering every cell in a gel mass
-mucigels expand with hydration and help cell dispersal and attachment
Diffuse
Cell division is not localized
Early in multicellular red algae
In most red algae, there is a meristematic region and growth via division of an _______
Apical region
Cell divisions of apical cells increase number of cells in filaments
Septum and pit plugs in red algae
In most red algae, septum (cross wall) formation is incomplete leaving a membrane lined pore.
Put plugs used to fill opening in the cell wall
Form during cell division between sister cells (primary put plugs) and in some red algae, between adjacent cells (secondary pit plugs)
Variation in pit structure used to determine phylogenetic relationships
Hypothesized to increase stability of the thallus (no function in translocation) - currents moving them around so need strength
Formation of pit plugs steps
- Cross wall begins to form following cell division
- Cell wall development stops before completely closing the opening between two cells
3.parallel vesicles line up in the gap to form a “plug” (granular protein mass)
4.Plug stabilized on either side by a flattened “plug cap” (carbohydrate dome)
Formation of secondary out plug
- Unequal cell division produces a smaller conjunctor cell
2.Fusion of cytoplasmic between smaller and adjacent, non-sister cell - Nuclear transfer between cells (cell rendered binucleate)
Secondary pit plug connections help exchange genetic information between adjacent cells and strength the entire thallus
Red algae sexual reproduction
Asexually by discharging unicellular, non motile spermatia into the water
Sexual reproduction in red algae involved what?
-3 generations (triphasic): gametophyte, carposporophyte and tetrasporophyte
Porphyra sp. attaches itself to rocks how?
Multicellular rhizoidal attachment (holdfast)
Porphyra sp. thallus appearance
Begin life as uniseriate filaments but this stage is replaced by parenchymatous sheets of cells (1 to 2 cells thick)
Porphyra sp. economic use
Nori