Biomaterial Database

The relationship of gamone to the mating reaction in Chlamydomonas moewusii. 1974

R J McLEAN, and C J Laurendi, and R M Brown

Gamete-gamete adhesion in Chlamydomonas has long been attributed to large glycoprotein particles (gamone) on the flagellar membrane surface. These macromolecules may be incidentally sloughed off or released into the medium. Gamone isolated from the medium of one mating type will cause isoagglutination of opposite gametes. Our study of Chlamydomonas moewusii shows that such particles isolated from the cell medium are really membrane vesicles with mastigonemes (flagellar appendages) attached. The vesicles appear to bleb off the flagellar membrane as a normal process. Purified mastigonemes have no isoagglutinating activity, while purified membrane vesicles (with no mastigonemes attached) retain activity. Therefore, the large particles isolated by others from the cell medium of Chlamydomonas and thought to be equivalent to the gametic adhesion substance are in fact membrane vesicles upon which the adhesion sites are located, and these sites are probably much smaller than was previously supposed. Mastigonemes appear to have no role in gamete adhesion.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D002448	Cell Adhesion	Adherence of cells to surfaces or to other cells.	Adhesion, Cell,Adhesions, Cell,Cell Adhesions
D002462	Cell Membrane	The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.	Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D002499	Centrifugation, Density Gradient	Separation of particles according to density by employing a gradient of varying densities. At equilibrium each particle settles in the gradient at a point equal to its density. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Centrifugations, Density Gradient,Density Gradient Centrifugation,Density Gradient Centrifugations,Gradient Centrifugation, Density,Gradient Centrifugations, Density
D005407	Flagella	A whiplike motility appendage present on the surface cells. Prokaryote flagella are composed of a protein called FLAGELLIN. Bacteria can have a single flagellum, a tuft at one pole, or multiple flagella covering the entire surface. In eukaryotes, flagella are threadlike protoplasmic extensions used to propel flagellates and sperm. Flagella have the same basic structure as CILIA but are longer in proportion to the cell bearing them and present in much smaller numbers. (From King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)	Flagellum
D006023	Glycoproteins	Conjugated protein-carbohydrate compounds including MUCINS; mucoid, and AMYLOID glycoproteins.	C-Glycosylated Proteins,Glycosylated Protein,Glycosylated Proteins,N-Glycosylated Proteins,O-Glycosylated Proteins,Glycoprotein,Neoglycoproteins,Protein, Glycosylated,Proteins, C-Glycosylated,Proteins, Glycosylated,Proteins, N-Glycosylated,Proteins, O-Glycosylated
D000371	Agglutination	The clumping together of suspended material resulting from the action of AGGLUTININS.
D000460	Chlorophyta	A phylum of photosynthetic EUKARYOTA bearing double membrane-bound plastids containing chlorophyll a and b. They comprise the classical green algae, and represent over 7000 species that live in a variety of primarily aquatic habitats. Only about ten percent are marine species, most live in freshwater.	Algae, Green,Chlorophytina,Green Algae