Spirogyra (RSB)

Habit and Habitat

Spirogyra is free-floating green algae present in freshwater habitats such as ponds, lakes, etc.
Spirogyra is commonly known as “water silk or pond silk”. The genus Spirogyra is named after the
unique spiral chloroplast present in the cells of algae. Each cell of the filaments features a large
central vacuole, within which the nucleus is suspended by fine strands of cytoplasm. The
chloroplasts form a spiral around the vacuole. The cell wall consists of an inner layer of cellulose and
an outer layer of pectin, which is responsible for the slippery texture of the algae. In spring,
Spirogyra grows under water. When there is enough sunlight and warmth they produce large
amounts of oxygen, which get stored as bubbles between the tangled filaments.(image will be
uploaded soon)Spirogyra is classified under Chlorophyta due to the presence of chlorophyll. The
genus contains around 400 species.

Classification
Spirogyra is classified under Chlorophyta due to the presence of chlorophyll. The genus contains
around 400 species.
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Zygnematophyceae
Orde:r Zygnematales
Family: Zygnemataceae
Genus: Zygnemataceae

Structure of thallus (External morphology)

 The vegetative structure of Spirogyra shows as unbranched filamentous thallus.
 The thallus is multicellular with each cylindrical cell joined end to end.
 They are 10-100 µm in width and may grow several centimetres in length.
 They are present as a slimy mass due to the presence of mucilage sheath around the filament.
 The cell wall consists of two layers viz. inner cellulose and outer pectose. The slimy mucilage
sheath is due to the dissolution of pectose in water.
 In each cell, there is a nucleus, cytoplasm, a large central vacuole and spiral chloroplasts.
 Chloroplasts are ribbon-shaped and arranged spirally. There may be 1-16 chloroplasts present in
a cell.
 Chloroplast contains many pyrenoids in a row. Pyrenoids store starch and protein.
Reproduction
Spirogyra undergoes vegetative, asexual and sexual reproduction. The life cycle of Spirogyra is
haplontic, i.e. the dominant stage is free-living haploid (n) gametophyte and the sporophyte is
represented only by the diploid zygote (2n).
Vegetative reproduction
Vegetative reproduction is by fragmentation. Under the favourable conditions, vegetative
reproduction is the preferred mode of reproduction.
 The vegetative filament after fragmentation develops into a new filament.
 Each fragment undergoes multiple division and elongation to form a new filament.
 Fragmentation can be due to mechanical injury or dissolution of the middle lamella with a
change in the salinity and temperature of the water.
 Sometimes the middle lamella of one cell protrudes into an adjacent cell resulting in the
breakage of the filament.
Asexual reproduction
Asexual reproduction can be found in few species of Spirogyra. Asexual reproduction is carried out
by the formation of azygospores, akinetes or aplanospores.
 Formation of aplanospores occurs under unfavourable conditions. The protoplast shrinks and
forms a wall around it. This results in the formation of aplanospores
 Akinetes are also formed similarly but they have a thicker cell wall of cellulose and pectin
 Akinetes and aplanospores are non-motile spores, which develop into a new filament under
favourable conditions after the decay of the parent filament
 Zygospores are also known as partheno spores. These are the gametes, that failed to fuse
during sexual reproduction and develop into a new filament asexually

Sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction in Spirogyra is isogamous which means that male and female gametes of same
size fuse together in the sexual reproduction. Sexual reproduction is by conjugation. Conjugation
can be further divided into two types, scalariform conjugation and lateral conjugation.
Scalariform Conjugation
 In scalariform conjugation, two filaments of Spirogyra come together and lie side by side. The
structure formed looks like a ladder and thus it is named as scalariform conjugation or H-shape
conjugation.
 Tube-like structure develops from each cell of the two filaments lying together.
 Conjugation canal is created between two cells after fusion of the developing tube.
 The male gamete fuses with female gamete of the other filament and one of the filaments
becomes empty and the other has zygotes.
 These zygotes are released after the decay of the parent filament and germinate under
favourable conditions.
Lateral Conjugation
 In lateral conjugation, adjacent cells of a Spirogyra sp work as male and female gametes.
Conjugation tubes are formed between cells of the same filament. Lateral conjugation is of two
types:
Direct Lateral Conjugation: Passage is formed between two adjacent cells through the middle
lamella. Male gametes fuse with female gametes. Zygotes are formed in alternate cells.
Indirect Lateral Conjugation: The cell having male gamete forms conjugation canal and joins
the adjacent cell having female gamete.
 Fusion of gametes results in formation of zygote. The zygote in Spirogyra is known as
zygospores.

Germination of Zygospore
Zygospore is the only diploid phase in the sexual life cycle. The decay of female gametangia causes
the liberation of zygospore which remains dormant in the pond bottom till the favorable conditions
return. Zygospore wall is thick and differentiated in to 3-layers. Outer exosporium (cellulose),
middle mesosporium (cellulose & chitin) and inner endosporium (cellulose). On return of favourable
condition the diploid nucleus of zygospore undergo meiosis to produce 4 haploid nuclei out of which
3 degenerate. The zygospore with one haploid nucleus gradually enlarges and burst open to release
a germ tube. The repeated transverse divisions of germ tube form a new filament.
Alternation of generation
• In Spirogyra, the sexual reproduction involves a cycle alternation between a haploid vegetative
filament (gametophyte plant) and a diploid zygospore. Towards the end of growing season the
Spirogyra filament produce aplanogametes in vegetative cells called gametangia.
• The gametes fuse to form a zygospore (2n).
• At the time of germination zygospore gives rise to a haploid new filament. Therefore, in the
haplontic life cycle of Spirogyra no true alternation of generation is observed observed. Rather,
alternation of chromosome numbers from haploid to diploid and back to haploid conditions can
be noticed. Maximum phase of lifecycle is haploid therefore alternation of generation is
Haplontic type.