Spore attachment and extracellular mucilage of aquatic hyphomycetes

Stages in conidiun attachment to surfaces of Lemmoniera aquatica and Mycocentrospora filiformis (freshwater Hyphomycetes) were studied at the light microscope and scanning and transmission electron microscope levels. Sigmoid conidia of M. filiformis attach by pre-existing conidial mucilage at the spore pole and at a point along the conidial body. Tetraradiate conidia of L. aquatica attach by the thigmotropic release of mucilage at the tips of the three "arms";. Germination in both species is followed by the production of germ tubes, germ hyphae and appressoria. The chemical composition of the mucilage involved in attachment was determined by enzymatic studies and lectin-gold cytochemical studies. The major component was found to be acidic poly-saccharide, comprising mainly ß-1, 3-glucan, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and N-acetyl-neuraminic acid. Variation in mucilage composition exists between the two species, among different structures of the same species, and on different regions of the same structure. This indicates that mucilage producton in the two species is a dynamic process.The ability to secure rapid spore attachment, often in turbulent condition, would be a competitive advantage to these saprobic fungi in the colonization of substrata.