Time-Lapse Video Microscopy of Wound Recovery and Reproduction in the Siphonous Green Alga Derbesia tenuissima

Abstract

Wound recovery: Responses to various types of mechanically induced wounding were followed in the giant-celled Caulerpalean species, Derbesia tenuissima, using time-lapse video-microscopy. Gametophyte vesicle cells. Puncture wounding: the gametophyte cell seals the puncture in 5 min. This is followed by cycles of ruptures and sealing, ending with full recovery in 24 hrs. Cut wounding: the protoplast immediately retracts away from the wall and reforms an intact, deflated protoplast that expands to fill the original cell within 21 hrs. Crush wounding (internal). When retained within the cell wall many protoplast fragments condense, round up, and coalesce; the reconstituted protoplast expands until it attains complete recovery, filling the original cell shape in 12 hrs. Crush wounding (external). Protoplast fragments extruded from the crushed cell are more numerous and smaller taking longer to recover. Most fragments become spherical, transforming into small viable cells capable of reproduction in several days. Sporophyte filaments. Crush wounding creates many small fragments that initially condense, coalesce and then expand within the wall to restore a complete filament with normal cytoplasmic streaming within 5 hrs. Reproduction: gametophyte. Our culture isolates produce more females than males (30:1). Gametangia develop one day before discharge that occurs explosively (1/6 sec) at first morning light. The vesicle cell forms successive gametangia every 14 days. Sporophyte. Each sporangium develops on a lateral branch that becomes isolated by the creation of successive basal plugs. After cytoplasmic cleavage and differentiation the stephanokont spores are discharged. The spores settle quickly and germinate forming gametophyte cells.