GEOSIPHON-PYRIFORME, AN ENDOSYMBIOTIC ASSOCIATION OF FUNGUS AND CYANOBACTERIA - THE SPORE STRUCTURE RESEMBLES THAT OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL (AM) FUNGI

The zygomycete Geosiphon pyriforme is the only known endocyanosis of a fungus. The Nostoc spp. filaments are included in photosynthetically active and nitrogen fixing, multinucleated bladders, which grow on the soil surface. The spores of the fungus are white or slightly brownish. They are about 250 mum in diameter and develop singly on hyphal ends or, less frequently, intercalarly. The wall of the spores consists of a thin innermost layer, a laminated inner layer with a thickness of about 10-13 mum, and an evanescent outer layer. The laminated layer is composed of helicoidally arranged microfibrils, and is separated from the evanescent outer layer by a thin electron-dense sub-layer. Polarisation microscopy indicates the occurrence of chitin. Shape and wall ultrastructure of the Geosiphon spores and their cytoplasm resemble that of Glomus spores, but are different from that of other genera of the Glomales and Endogonales. Germination occurs by a single thick hyphal outgrowth directly through the spore wall. Like various AM forming fungi, Geosiphon pyriforme contains endocytic bacteria-like organisms, which are not surrounded by a host membrane. Our observations indicate that Geosiphon is a potential AM fungus.