endosymbiotic unit of Climacostomum virens and Chlorella sp. I. Morphological and physiological studies on the algal partner and its localization in the host cell

The ciliate Climacostomum virens forms an endosymbiotic association with coccoid chlorophycean algae which can be isolated and grown as sterile mass cultures with an inorganic medium. According to both morphological and physiological properties, the algae probably belong to the genus Chlorella and h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Protoplasma 1984-01, Vol.119 (1/2), p.93-99
Main Authors: Reisser, W, Fischer-Defoy, D, Staudinger, J, Schilling, N, Hausmann, K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Chlorella
Climacostomum virens
endosymbionts
Freshwater
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
host-parasite interactions
interspecific relationships
Parasitism and symbiosis
plant ecology
Plant physiology and development
Protozoa
symbionts
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Summary:The ciliate Climacostomum virens forms an endosymbiotic association with coccoid chlorophycean algae which can be isolated and grown as sterile mass cultures with an inorganic medium. According to both morphological and physiological properties, the algae probably belong to the genus Chlorella and have some features in commom with symbiotic chlorellae isolated from the ciliates Paramecium bursaria and Stentor polymorphus . These and other endosymbiotic chlorellae studied so far excrete maltose or glucose, but algae from Climacostomum virens show a different excretion pattern by releasing glucose, fructose and xylose. Possible biosynthetic pathways are discussed. Algae in Climacostomum virens are either located individually in special perialgal vacuoles where they are probably protected against attack by host lytic enzymes or to a lesser extent in food vacuoles in different states of digestion.
ISSN:0033-183X
1615-6102
DOI:10.1007/BF01287821