0000000000223552
AUTHOR
Georg Imsiecke
Formation of spicules by sclerocytes from the freshwater spongeEphydatia muelleri in short-term cultures in vitro
Cells from the freshwater sponge Ephydatia muelleri were isolated by dissociating hatching gemmules. During the first 24 h the cells reaggregated, but the aggregates progressively disintegrated again to single cells, among which the spicule-forming sclerocytes were recognized. Such cultures were used to study spicule (megascleres) formation in vitro. The isolated sclerocytes formed the organic central axial filament onto which they deposited inorganic silicon. The size of the spicules (200 to 350 microns in length) as well as the rate of spicule formation (1 to 10 microns/h) under in vitro conditions were similar to the values measured in vivo. Immediately after completion of spicule format…
Evolution of Cell Adhesion Systems: Evidence for Arg-Gly-Asp-Mediated Adhesion in the Protozoan Neoparamoeba aestuarina
Developmental processes in multicellular organisms require structural elements, such as adhesion molecules, to stabilize cells at functional positions. In vertebrates, a series of extracellular matrix proteins, e.g. fibronectin and laminin, are involved in cell adhesion. These proteins contain Arg-Gly-Asp [RGD] at their binding sites. Here we show that at concentrations above 2 mM the peptide GRGDSPK, comprising the tripeptide RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp), prevents the adhesiveness of cells of the marine amoeba Neoparamoeba aestuarina. In addition, elevated levels of GRGDSPK cause cells to alter their shapes from those with digitiform subpseudopodia to rounded cells with small lobed pseudopodia. These…
Inorganic polyphosphates in the developing freshwater spongeEphydatia muelleri: Effect of stress by polluted waters
Relatively high amounts of inorganic polyphosphates (approximately 55 μg of polyphosphate/g of wet weight) were found in the freshwater sponge Ephydatia muelleri, particularly in the gemmules (260 μg/g). Here we report that the polyphosphate content of this sponge changes during development and in response to adverse environmental conditions. Germination and hatching of gemmules of E. muelleri is accompanied by a strong decrease (by 94% at day 2) in polyphosphate level and a rise in exopolyphosphatase activity. On the other hand, induction of gemmulogenesis by theophylline results in an increase (by 61%) in polyphosphate content of sponge tissue. An increase in polyphosphate content and a d…
Genome size and chromosomes in marine sponges [Suberites domuncula, Geodia cydonium]
The genome size of the marine sponges Suberites domuncula and Geodia cydonium has been determined by flow cytofluorometric analysis using diamidino-phenylindole [DAPI]. Using human lymphocytes as reference the amount of DNA in cells from S. domuncula has been determined to be 3.7 pg and that of G. cydonium 3.3 pg. While no chromosomes could be identified in G. cydonium, the karyotype of the Suberites domuncula is 32 chromosomes in the diploid state. The size of the chromosomes was between 0.25 and 1.0 micron. No pronounced banding pattern was visible.
Ingestion, digestion, and egestion in Spongilla lacustris (Porifera, Spongillidae) after pulse feeding with Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Volvocales)
The route followed by food particles in Spongilla lacustris was clarified by light and electron microscopic examination of sponges fed with Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The algal cells are phagocytosed by prosendopinacocytes and choanocytes. After some time they are transferred to archaeocytes, amoebocytes, and lophocytes. Changes in algal structure during digestion were observed and the egestion of algal remnants was documented in life for the first time. In light micrographs, digestion of the algal cells is manifest first in shrinkage of the cells, then in disintegration to form several spherical green fragments 2–3 μm in diameter, and finally, after 12–18 h, in a reddish brown discoloratio…
Preparation and karyotype analysis of mitotic chromosomes of the freshwater sponge Spongilla lacustris.
The present study documents for the first time the karyotype and mitotic chromosomes of a sponge. For the studies the freshwater sponge Spongilla lacustris (Lin. 1758) was used. Its karyotype comprises nine different chromosome pairs ranging in size from 2.1 to < or = 0.7 microns. Changes in size and shape of the chromosomes during the progression of mitosis are documented both light and electron microscopically. The data reveal that the lowest multicellular eukaryotes, the sponges, have already reached a high level of evolution of the mitotic mechanism.