PHYCOLOGY

Characteristic features of Algae

Professor Gabriel Ameka

Domain/Kingdom Key Characteristics Examples

Domain Bacteria Prokaryotic Escherischia coli Bacteria

“True Bacteria” Unicellular (some form colonies) Salmonella Bacteria
Autotrophic or Heterotrophic Nitrobacter Bacteria
Sessile or Motile Blue-green “algae” (Cyanobacteria)
Different in genetic material than Archaea

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Domain Archaea Prokaryotic
“Archaebacteria” Unicellular (some form colonies) Halobacteria (salt tolerant)
Autotrophic or Heterotrophic Methanogens
Sessile or Motile
Different in genetic material than Bacteria

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Domain Eukaryota Eukaryotic Algae
Kingdoms of Protists Unicellular (some form colonies) Amoeba
Autotrophic or Heterotrophic Paramecium
Sessile or Motile Euglena

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Domain Eukaryota Eukaryotic Mushrooms
Kingdom Fungi Mostly Multicellular Molds
Heterotrophic Mildews
Sessile Yeast (unicellular)

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Domain Eukaryota Eukaryotic Moss
Kingdom Plantae Multicellular Ferns
Mostly Autotrophic Flowering Plants
Sessile Trees

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Domain Eukaryota Eukaryotic Jellyfish
Kingdom Animalia Multicellular Insects
Heterotrophic Fish
Motile Birds
 ALGAE: Cellular Organisation
Eukaryotic cell organisation:
The genetic, photosynthetic and respiratory systems
are in membrane bound organelles.
Cell Wall:
 Algal cell walls consist of two non-living layers. The
inner layer is firm consisting of micro-fibrils and
outer layer is gelatinous and armorphous.
 A typical cell wall consists of various
polysaccharides such as cellulose, pectin and
mucilage.
 ALGAE: Cellular Organisation
Occasionally a cell wall may be impregnated with
calcium carbonate, iron, chitin or silicon. In some
instances the entire cell wall may be silicified.

Based on chemical composition three (3) categories

of cell wall types are recognised:
Cellulosic
Silicified
Mucopolymeric / peptidoglycan (Cyanobacteria)
 ALGAE: Cellular Organisation

 Cellulose wall is usually composed of micro-fibrillar

glucose units and other related sugars and is
characteristic of Chlorophyceae
 The cell wall is characterised by the presence of
some compounds e.g., hemicellulose, alginic acid
and fucoidin in Phaeophyceae and chitin in
Cladophora sp. and Oedogonium sp.
 Pectin is frequently mixed with the cellulose in
Chlorophyceae, Phaeophyceae and Rhodophyceae
and with xylose and mannose in Bryopsis sp.
 ALGAE: Cellular Organisation
A typical cell wall is
absent in zoospores,
gametes and mature
cells of majority of
flagellates. These
are bounded only by
the cytoplasmic
membrane
 ALGAE: Cellular Organisation
In Bacillariophyceae, cell
walls are silicified, where
the hydrated armorphous
silica occurs embedded in
pectin-like matrix. The
cellulose, hemicellulose
or polymers of other
sugars are absent in this
case
 ALGAE: Nutrition

THREE main modes:

i) PHOTOAUTOTROPHIC - need light and inorganic
medium to produce food
ii) PHOTOAUXOTROPHIC – require vitamins (e.g.,
thiamine and biotin) and antibiotics for proper
growth in addition to conditions of
photoautotrophs.
iii) HETEROTROPHIC – those that can grow in
darkness when supplied with organic medium
(colourless algae)
 ALGAE: Nutrition
Some algae are colourless. They are referred to as
apochlorotic which do not constitute a natural
taxonomic group.

Colourless forms include:

i) Chlorophyceae: Polytoma, Prototheca, Tusselia
ii) Chrysophyceae: Monas
iii) Bacillariophyceae: Nitzschia
 COLOURLESS ALGAE: Polytoma sp.
Similar to Chlamydomonas,
Lacks chloroplasts
Pyrenoid absent
Leucoplasts present
Two equal-length flagella
Starch granules present
Contractile vacuoles
present
 ALGAE

Monas sp. is a colourless

Chrysophyceae
 ALGAE
COLOURLESS ALGAE:

Nitzschia sp.
(Bacillariophyceae)
 ALGAE: Nutrition

PARASITIC ALGAE

The green alga Cephaleuros sp. grows as

an intercellular parasite on the leaves of
tea, pepper and coffee.
 Parasitic algae: Cephaleuros sp.

C. virescens on Avocado
(Persea americana)
Cephaleuros virescens

Cephaleuros
C. virescens on Camella parasiticus on
Guava
 ALGAE: Asexual Reproduction
In unicellular algae usually
by cell division e.g.,
Chlorella sp.
• In filamentous forms
Spore formation mainly by
The cells (spores) are able fragmentation e.g.,
to develop into individual Spirogyra
without union with • Special structures as in
another cell: zoospores, Chara (amylum stars,
aplanospores, tubers and bulbils)
hyponospores,
autospores, auxospores,
endospores etc
 ALGAE: ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION
In unicellular algae SPORE FORMATION
usually by CELL DIVISION The cells (spores) are
e.g., Chlorella. able to develop into
In filamentous forms individuals without
mainly by FRAGMENTATION union with another
e.g., Spirogyra cell: zoospores,
SPECIAL STRUCTURES as in aplanospores,
Chara (amylum stars, hyponospores,
tubers and bulbils) autospores,
auxospores,
endospores etc
 ALGAE: Sexual Reproduction
• Three main methods:

 Isogamy

 Anisogamy

 Oogamy
 ALGAE: Reproduction

The free-living organism

present in the life cycle is
diploid, meiosis occurring
during gametogenesis.
HAPLOBIONTIC life cycle
 ALGAE: Reproduction
Organism at
maturity produces
gametes which unite
to form the zygote, the
zygote undergoes meiosis
to produce haploid
spores.

HAPLOBIONTIC
life cycle
ALGAE: Reproduction
 ALGAE: Reproduction
Diploid sporophyte produces spores by meiosis; the spores
germinate into haploid gametophyte
DIPLOBIONTIC life cycle
 ALGAE: Growth

Growth in multicellular algae may be diffuse or

generalised or it may be localised.

Generalised growth: all cells usually undergo division

resulting in overall increase in size of the organism as
in e.g., Ulva sp.
 ALGAE: Growth
Localised growth: cell multiplication is restricted
to certain parts of the organism – may be apical,
basal or intercalary.
Apical growth: occurs at the extremities or tips
e.g., Cladophora and Dictyota. Basal growth
(not common) e.g., Bulbochaetae.
Intercalary: is not localised at apex or base but
at one or several other loci e.g., development of
blade of Laminaria.