MECHANICAL IMPACT ON THE CELL COVERING FINE STRUCTURE OF DINOFLAGELLATES PROROCENTRUM MINIMUM

Area of Science:

• Marine biology
• Protistology
• Cell biology

Background:

• Prorocentrum minimum, a potentially toxic dinoflagellate, possesses complex cell coverings called amphiesma.
• The amphiesma consists of a plasma membrane and thecal cellulose plates, with two large plates forming shell valves.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the sensitivity of Prorocentrum minimum to physical stress.
• To explore the formation of spheroplasts and their potential as a model system.

Main Methods:

• Low-speed centrifugation (1200 and 2000 g) was applied to Prorocentrum minimum cultures.
• Observation of cell coverings shedding (ecdysis) and spheroplast formation.

Main Results:

• Prorocentrum minimum cells demonstrated extreme sensitivity to physical stress.
• Centrifugation induced ecdysis, leading to the formation of viable spheroplasts surrounded by only the plasma membrane.
• New amphiesma formation was observed beneath the plasma membrane in developing spheroplasts.

Conclusions:

• Prorocentrum minimum spheroplasts represent a novel and convenient model system.
• This model can be utilized for investigating various aspects of dinoflagellate cell and molecular biology.