Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 8:
(A) Photomicrograph of tichomes of
Azolla
with those of
Anabaena
surrounding them. (B) Tichomes of
Anabaena
from
Azolla
. Photograph courtesy E. S. Pierson
1
, L. Masselink
2
and M. M. L. van Kempen
2
, Departments of General Instruments
1
and
Aquatic Ecology & Environmental Biology
2
, Faculty of Science, Mathematics and Computing Science, Radboud University,
Huygensgebouw, Heyendaalseweg 135, NL-6525, AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Differences in morphological and physiological characteristics between cultures of
Azolla
symbionts and the fresh isolates from
Azolla
plants have been studied by the application of
immunological and lectin hemagglutination studies (Newton and Herman, 1979; Gates, 1980;
Ladha and Watanabe, 1982; McCowen
et al
., 1987). The role of lectins in establishing
Azolla
-
Anabaena
symbiosis has been examined (Mellor
et al
., 1981). Agglutination of human erythrocytes was caused
by extracts from
A.
caroliniana
-
Anabaena
symbiosis and
Anabaena
-free
Azolla
plants whereas extracts
of fresh symbionts from
A
.
caroliniana
or
A
.
azollae
cultures did not cause agglutination of human
erythrocytes. Kobiler
et al
. (1981) observed haemagglutination activity in extracts of free-living
A
.
azollae
and very low activity in those from
A
.
fi liculoides
-
Anabaena
symbiosis. Ladha and Watanabe
(1982) reported that there exists a high antigenic similarity between
Anabaena
freshly isolated from
