Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026

Physiological Characterization of the Coral Holobiont Using a New Micro-Respirometry Tool
Published on: April 28, 2023
Carbon exchange between Polysiphonia lanosa (Rhodophyceae) and its brown algal host
Abstract:
Polysiphonia lanosa and its preferred Ascophyllum nodosum host exchange 14C-labeled photoassimilates. Exchange was demonstrated by injecting 14C-bicarbonate into air bladders on 15-30 cm cultured sections of field-collected host blades. Each section bore rhizoidally attached Polysiphonia. In a separate set of experiments, Polysiphonia on similar host material was surface treated with 14C-bicarbonate in sealed vessels. Movement of radioactive label was detected by autoradiographic and liquid scintillation techniques. On average, 10.5% of total label moved from host to hemiparasite following the first treatment, and 9.7% moved from hemiparasite to host following the second. Reciprocal exchange of tagged photoassimilates may play an important role in the specificity of the relationship between these two algal species.
Related Concept Videos
Red Algae
Other Algae
Green Algae
Overview of Algae
Diversity of Protists III
Microbial Interactions: Mutualism

