Algae. 1992; 7(2): 161-166.

Rhodamine-Phalloidin Labelling of the Actin Cytoskeleton in Porphyra leucosticta(Bangiaceae, Rhodophyta)

McDonald A. rosa, David J. Garbary, Grant G. Mitman, L. C.-M. Chen

Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, Institute of Marine Biosciences, National Research Council of Canada

Rhodamine-phalloidin staining for F-actin was carried out on both blade and conchocelis phases of Porphyra leucosticta. Cells in the blade have a diversity of actin arrangements ranging from diffuse arrays to dense bundles of actin associated with margins of chloroplasts. Rhizoidal projections from cells in the blade produce bands of actin along the division plane. Only limited actin labelling was achieved in cells of the conchocelis phase which had diffuse arrays or more compact actin bundles. Differences in actin labelling in blades and conchocelis may represent differences in structure of the cytoskeleton, however, differential labelling may reflect differences in cell wall composition and the ability of enzyme preparations to enzyme preparations to permeabilize the cell walls in the two generations.

Keywords : Rhodophyta, Bangiales, Porphyra, actin, microfilaments, cytoskeleton, cell division