MORPHOGENESIS OF THE FEEDING APPARATUS OF ENTOSIPHON-SULCATUM - AN IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL-STUDY

The disruption and development of the siphon during division of Entosiphon have been followed by immunofluoresence with both an anti-cement MAb (IIID12) and an anti-tubulin MAb. (IVA10), by nuclear DNA labelling and by electron microscopy of serial section. The disruption of the parental siphon begins at the reservoir level where two new transversely orientated daughter siphons arise. In the degenerating bundles the cement disappears, first liberating the microtubules which then depolymerize. The first structure which surrounds the anterior part of the two young siphons is a loop of 5 microtubules linked to the reservoir membrane. From around this loop a row of perpendicular microtubules sink in the cytosplasm; they will form the primary row of microtubules in the definitive bundles. Inside the loop, reinforced microtubules are seen beneath the membrane, they will generate the future vanes, and also penetrate into the cytosplasm. Amorphous material surrounds the young siphons and may correspond to cement material. The growth of the siphons proceeds as they adopt a central longitudinal position in the cell. The cement material progressively condenses on structures such as the primary row of microtubules. The bundles, the supplementary plaque, and the scaffold. After flagellar partition each of the canals becomes distinct and cytokinesis occurs from the anterior end. These observations indicate that the microtubular loop could be the source of microtubule-organizing centre (MTOC) proteins initiating the assembly of the primary row of microtubules. Bundle microtubules start to assemble at the anterior end and extend backwards. The microtubules of the loop could be linked to roots associated with the basal bodies which double in number before division. The cement later condenses, linking and stabilizing the structures. Microfibrils play an important role in basal body and siphon separation and positioning.