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Spirogyra insignis

Spirogyra insignis

Classification:

Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Protista
Phylum: Chlorophyta
Class: Zygnematophyceae
Order: Zygnematales
Family: Zygnemataceae
Genus: Spirogyra

Description and Significance:

• Filamentous green algae, that is characterized by coiled chloroplasts, unbranched filaments, and a somewhat unique form of reproduction, conjugation. (Chen, 2012)
• Spirogyra as a genus is very prolific, with over 400 species worldwide. The algae are found in fresh waters all over the world. These species are important all over the world because they are so common.

Spirogyra reproduction:

• Spirogyra species use lateral conjugation to reproduce. In conjugation two cells put out conjugation tubes, which connect with other filaments of the algae, the male cytoplasm is transferred through the conjugation canal and is fused to the female cytoplasm.
• In a study, Contact inhibition showed to have an effect on Spirogyra insignis. In the study a large colony was plated out, and then half of the plate was mechanically cleaned off. The clean edge then showed more production than the dense pre-existing area. (Costas, 1993)
• The use of lectins has been widely used in typing bacteria and protists. In a study, the genetic variability of Spirogyra insignis was shown to be higher in the months of May and July, more than was seen in samples taken in March. This is probably due to higher sexual reproduction during those months then in earlier months, though during the earlier months it was still seen in high numbers in the sample. This shows that the algae is primarily asexual, with an obligatory sexual stage; giving it the ability to establish large clonal families in nature. (Rowe, 1996)

Cell Structure and Metabolism:

• As in many green algae, these are phototrophic cells, harvesting their energy via photosynthesis, through use of their chloroplasts.
• Structure of the cell is somewhat unique in that there are three separate cell membranes, lastly incased in a chitinous cell wall. The chloroplasts spiral around the cell, incasing the nucleus, as well as the cytoplasm in the middle of the cell.
• Filamentous algae that are most often found in filamentous cellular chains, reproduction causes breakages on in the filaments on occasion. When breakages occur, the ends of the filaments are reformed, and then continue to grow, further spreading the genetic material.

Ecology:

Eukaryal Extremophile:

• Spirogyra insignis has been studied extensively due to its ability to live in high heat, sulfurous waters. Due to high numbers of mutations in the populations to begin with, the species is able to quickly adapt to new and strenuous environments. (Flores-Moya, 2005)

Environmental Benefits:

• Spirogyra has been studied to see how they absorb heavy metals from the environment they are in. In a study, it was found that the Spirogyra had the ability to absorb large amounts of zinc ions from its surroundings. This is beneficial to their environment by lowering the high zinc levels in polluted waters. However it was found that pH of the surrounding does play an important role, optimum pH values are around 6.0. (Melcakova, 2010)

References

• West, G.S. A Treatise on the British Freshwater Algae. 1968. Bibliotheca Phycologica.
• Flores-Moya A, Costas E, Banares-Espana E, Garcia-Villada L, Altamirano M, Lopez-Rados V. 2005. New Phytologist. Adaptation of Spirogyra insignis (Chlorophyta) to an extreme natural environment (sulphureous waters) through preselective mutations. New Phytologist vol. 166: 655-661.
• Melcakova I, Ruzovic T. 2010. Biosorption of Zinc from Aqueous Solution Using Algae and Plant Biomass. Nova Biotechnologica. Vol 10-1, 33-43.
• Costas E, Aguilera A, Gonzales-Gil S, and Lopez-Rodas V. 1993. Contact Inhibition: Also a Control for Cell Proliferation in Unicellular Algae? Biol. Bull. 184: 1-5.
• Rowe A, Lopez-Rodas V, Costas E. 1996. The Use of FITC-Lectin Labelling in Characterizing Strains of Conjugatophyceae. The Korean Journal of Phycology. Vol. 11(3):333-340.
• Chen C, Schagerl M. 2012. Slow evolution of 1506 group I intron in Spirogyra Link 1820 (Zygnematophyceae, Streptophyta), a fast evolving lineage in the Zygnematacae. Fottea, Olomouc, 12(2): 255-272.
• Image http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Chlorophyta.