Rhodamine-phalloidin staining of F-actin in rhodophyta

Rhodamine-phalloidin was used to label F-actin in unfixed cells of 13 species of filamentous and blade-forming red algae from the three families Ceramiaceae, Acrochaetiaceae and Bangiaceae. Labelling was achieved only after treatment with either beta-glucuronidase or a combination of cellulase and an extract of snail gut enzyme. Different species required different enzyme treatments and incubation times for successful labelling. All species examined showed extensive arrays of F-actin which generally are confined to the peripheral cytoplasm and are oriented longitudinally. Transverse arrays are present beside the crosswalls of Griffithsia pacifica, and Audouinella species show actin concentrations at the tips of apical cells and in developing branch initials.