COMPARATIVE NUMBERS OF γ PARTICLES IN THE FLAGELLATE CELLS OF VARIOUS SPECIES AND MUTANTS OF BLASTOCLADIELLA

Abstract

Alcoholic methylene blue was shown to be a suitable stain for the Nadi- positive γ particles in zoospores of Blastocladiella emersonii; it was then used to establish the presence of similar particles in the uniflagellate spores of B. britannica and B. simplex. An average of 11-12 particles/spore was found in all three species, thus emphasizing the possibility that γ might be useful for taxonomic evaluations among the Blastocladiales. The gametes of B. cystogena also contain an average of 11.0 particles. In B. emersonii, however, the number of γ particles/spore was increased by growing RS plants in the presence of exogenous bicarbonate.