Self-supporting artificial system of the green alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</Emphasis> and the ascomycetous fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alternaria infectoria</Emphasis>

A long-living (of up to several years) bipartite system was constructed between the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and the ascomycetous fungus Alternaria infectoria. The metabolic cooperation between the two organisms was tested with infecting A. infectoria hyphae into nitrogen starving yellow C. reinhardtii culture. After the infection, a slow greening process of the algal cells was observed, which was studied by measuring the increasing chlorophyll content, the appearance of chlorophyll-protein complexes – using 77 K fluorescence spectroscopy, and the measurement of photosynthetic oxygen production. Transmission electron microscopy and laser scanning microscopy images showed that no direct physical contacts were formed between the algal cells and the hyphae in the long-living symbiosis but they were joint in a mucilaginous bed allowing diffusion processes for metabolic cooperation. The increased free amino acid content of the medium of the long-living bipartite cultures’ indicated possible nitrogen supply of hyphal origin, which allowed the re-greening of the algal cells. The results of this work underline the importance of symbiosis-like stable metabolic coexistence, which ensures survival under extreme environmental conditions.     

Effects of nitrogen starvation on the photosynthetic physiology of a tropical marine microalga Rhodomonas sp. (Cryptophyceae)

The effects of nitrogen starvation on biomass composition and photosynthetic function were examined in the marine cryptophyte Rhodomonas sp. Batch-cultured cells in N-sufficient medium showed a 2.5-fold increase in total carbohydrate content, and a 33% increase in cell volume when the cultures reached the stationary growth phase. These cultures also increased the ratio of phycoerythrin (PE)/hydrosoluble proteins from 6 to 22% by the 4th and 10th day of culture, respectively. In contrast, light-saturated photosynthetic activity (P_m) progressively decreased, and the value obtained at the beginning of the stationary phase was about 45% of that obtained for cells in the late exponential growth phase. Transfer to N-lacking medium caused a 3.2-fold increase in cell volume. N starvation also triggered a rapid decline in N-containing compounds such as hydrosoluble proteins and photosynthetic pigments, causing an almost complete loss of PE. The ratio of PE/hydrosoluble proteins decreased from 6 to 1% after 6 d of N deprivation. Furthermore, the PSII fluorescence capacity declined under N-starved conditions, which caused a pronounced decrease in both the P_m (circa 90%) and the apparent photosynthetic efficiency (circa 55%). Under these conditions, photosynthetically fixed carbon was used to synthesize large amounts of carbohydrates. We suggest that, in addition to the role of phycoerythrin as a light-harvesting pigment, Rhodomonas sp. responds to N-depleted conditions by mobilizing combined nitrogen from biliproteins.     

苗期玉米叶片碳氮平衡与干旱诱导的叶片衰老之关系

为了探究干旱诱导的碳氮平衡破坏与干旱诱导的叶片衰老之间的关系,该实验以8个在干旱胁迫下叶片衰老进程有明显差异的玉米品种为实验材料,采用PEG模拟干旱处理,通过测定光合速率、叶绿素含量和叶绿素荧光参数等叶片衰老指标以及非结构性碳水化合物(可溶性糖、淀粉)和全氮含量等变化,分析玉米中干旱诱导的叶片衰老与叶片中碳氮平衡(碳氮比)之间的关系。结果显示:(1)干旱胁迫下,8个玉米品种叶片净光合速率受到严重抑制,Fv/Fm大幅下降,叶绿素含量显著降低,说明干旱诱导了玉米叶片的衰老;(2)干旱诱导玉米叶片衰老的同时,8个玉米品种的叶片中可溶性糖含量显著升高,淀粉含量小幅上升,全氮含量大幅降低,碳氮比显著升高,碳氮平衡遭到了破坏;(3)8个玉米品种叶片的叶绿素含量与非结构性碳水化合物含量以及碳氮比呈极显著负相关关系,与全氮含量呈极显著正相关关系。因此,碳氮代谢与干旱诱导的叶片衰老紧密联系,碳氮平衡可能参与了干旱诱导的叶片衰老调控。     

Effect of phosphorus and nitrogen on growth,chlorophyll, amino nitrogen,soluble sugar contents and algal heterocysts of water fernAzolla pinnata

The P uptake inAzolla pinnata in mineral medium increased linearly with increasing phosphate doses and optimum growth and chlorophyll content of fern were recorded at 1.2 mM of K₂HPO₄. The higher doses of phosphate reduced growth and chlorophyll, but an increase in soluble sugar and amino nitrogen was noticed. Addition of combined nitrogen sources decreased the fern growth, soluble sugar, chlorophyll and heterocyst frequency but amino nitrogen was comparatively higher. The growth and chlorophyll content were always high when the fern was grown in the absence of added nitrogen sources; this supports the thesis about the specific importance of symbiosis for the nutrition of fern with nitrogen which cannot be replaced by mineral compounds.     

叶绿素合成缺陷型小球藻突变株的选育及其蛋白产能和品质评价

本研究旨在利用常压室温等离子体(atmospheric pressure room temperature plasma, ARTP)诱变技术构建叶绿素合成缺陷型凯式小球藻突变株,筛选出极低叶绿素、适用于发酵生产蛋白质的新藻种。首先经优化诱变处理时间后建立了野生型兼养细胞的致死率曲线,在高于95%致死率条件下处理对数早期兼养细胞,基于可视化藻落颜色变化初筛获得4株突变株。随后在摇瓶中异养培养突变株,系统评价了蛋白生产性能,发现在含有30 g/L葡萄糖和5 g/L NaNO₃的Basal培养基中,突变株P. ks4表现最优,蛋白含量及产率分别为39.25%干重及1.15g/(L·d),氨基酸评分达101.34,叶绿素a含量下降98.78%且不含叶绿素b,含有叶黄素0.62 mg/g而使藻体呈金黄色。本研究为微藻替代蛋白的发酵生产提供了高性能、高品质的新种质P. ks 4。     

干热河谷车桑子光合生理特性对氮磷添加的响应

氮磷养分是限制干热河谷植物生长的重要元素,不同土壤上植物受到的养分限制类型不同。光合作用作为植物生长发育的基础,不同土壤上氮磷养分添加对干热河谷植物光合生理特征的影响还没有报道。因此,以干热河谷优势植物——车桑子为研究对象,在元谋县不同海拔处采集土壤,设置加氮（+N）、加磷（+P）、氮磷同时添加（+NP）和不添加（CK）四个处理,研究车桑子光合响应曲线、叶绿素含量和叶绿素荧光特性对氮、磷添加的响应规律,并探讨光合响应特征与车桑子生长的关系：研究结果显示：1）不同海拔土壤上,车桑子光合生理特性对氮磷添加具有不同的响应。在低海拔燥红土上,氮添加处理（+N和+NP）提高了车桑子净光合速率、叶绿素含量和PSII活性;中海拔紫色土上,+NP促进了车桑子光合速率和叶绿素含量的提高;高海拔黄棕壤上,+N处理降低了车桑子净光合速率和PSII活性,而磷添加处理（+P和+NP）提高了车桑子净光合速率。2）车桑子光合特性对养分添加的响应取决于土壤的养分限制类型,限制性养分添加可以提高车桑子的净光合速率。3）燥红土上+P以及黄棕壤上+N对PSⅡ最大光化学效率（Fv/Fm）的降低更大程度上归于可变荧光Fv的减少而不是最小荧光F₀的增加,可减少养分限制对光系统II造成的伤害。4）三种土壤类型上车桑子的叶绿素含量和组成差异极显著,相比于燥红土和紫色土,黄棕壤上车桑子的叶绿素含量显著更高,而叶绿素a/b显著更低。综上,本研究结果表明,车桑子光合能力受到氮和磷的共同调节,不同土壤上光合生理特性的响应可增强植物对限制性养分的适应性,影响植物生长发育。     

绞股蓝提取液对蛋白核小球藻的化感效应及影响机理研究

以中草药植物绞股蓝[Gynostemma pentaphyllum(Thunb.) Makino]为化感供体材料,研究其不同浓度的提取液(0、5、10、25、50 g/L)对蛋白核小球藻(Chlorella pyrenoidesa)生长及生理生化特征的化感效应。结果表明:(1)绞股蓝提取液对蛋白核小球藻生长均具有抑制作用,其抑制作用随提取液质量浓度增大和培养时间延长均呈增强趋势,且25 g/L绞股蓝提取液培养15 d时的抑制率达到最大(79.41%)。(2)各浓度绞股蓝处理组蛋白核小球藻细胞内的叶绿素a含量均低于对照组,且随着提取液浓度升高以及处理时间延长叶绿素a含量较对照的降低量越多,表明蛋白核小球藻光合作用受到的影响也越大。(3)绞股蓝处理组蛋白核小球藻细胞的膜透性(吸光度OD_(264))显著高于对照,且膜透性随着提取液浓度增大而增强;高浓度提取液处理下,藻细胞内部的可溶性蛋白质(OD_(280))及核酸(OD_(260))含量均显著高于对照,且随着处理时间延长,细胞膜透性增大,细胞内部的可溶性蛋白质及核酸向胞外渗透增多。研究发现,绞股蓝提取液能够抑制蛋白核小球藻生长,并随着提取液质量浓度增大而增强;绞股蓝提取液能促进藻细胞叶绿素分解、增加细胞膜透性,引起可溶性蛋白质和核酸向胞外渗透量升高,导致藻细胞结构受损,代谢功能紊乱,从而达到化感抑制作用。     

不同生境盐地碱蓬对氮饥饿的响应

为了探讨不同生境盐地碱蓬对低氮生境的适应机制,测定了盐渍环境下(200 mmol/L Na Cl)不同浓度硝态氮(0.3、5 mmol/L NO~-_3-N)预处理两种生境盐地碱蓬经氮饥饿后的NO~-_3含量、硝酸还原酶(NR)活性、光合特性及生长状况。结果表明,0.3和5 mmol/L NO~-_3-N处理以及进行氮饥饿时,潮间带生境盐地碱蓬叶片NO~-_3含量均高于内陆生境盐地碱蓬。与内陆生境盐地碱蓬相比,氮饥饿后,潮间带生境盐地碱蓬叶绿素含量、NR活性和光合放氧速率下降幅度均小于内陆生境盐地碱蓬,在0.3mmol/L NO~-_3-N预处理进行氮饥饿时趋势更加明显。0.3 mmol/L NO~-_3-N预处理后氮饥饿对潮间带生境盐地碱蓬根冠比没有影响,却降低内陆生境盐地碱蓬根冠比。上述结果表明,低氮条件下潮间带生境盐地碱蓬具有较高的NO~-_3储存能力,在环境持续氮素缺乏时具有较高的NO~-_3-N再利用能力,能更好地维持氮代谢以及光合性能。说明潮间带生境盐地碱蓬能更好地适应低氮生境。     

水氮处理对岛礁植物假茉莉生理适应性的影响

为了解假茉莉(Clerodendrum inerme)对热带珊瑚岛礁的生理适应性,采用不同浇水频率和氮素处理,对假茉莉的光合特性及抗逆生理生化特性进行了研究。结果表明,不同浇水频率对于假茉莉生理特性影响较大,而不同氮素处理间的差异不大,说明假茉莉对水分胁迫更加敏感。在低浇水频率下,假茉莉叶绿素a含量和叶绿素a/b最高,且与其他浇水频率间的差异显著,净光合速率、气孔导度、水分利用率均显著高于高浇水频率,而蒸腾速率显著低于高浇水频率,表现出较好的光合同化效率和水分利用效率;中等浇水频率的脯氨酸含量最高,为(5.04±1.21)mg/g,可降低植物体的渗透压,保证干旱胁迫下对水分的吸收。低浇水频率的相对电导率最低,为0.17±0.03,可减少干旱胁迫对细胞膜系统的损伤。因此,假茉莉对干旱、贫瘠的热带珊瑚岛礁生境具有很好的适应能力。     

不同种源花榈木苗期生长及生理特性比较

为了解不同种源花榈木在贵阳的生长特性和差异,该文通过对10个种源地花榈木进行育苗试验,测定其两年生实生苗的苗高、地径、生物量、叶片光合参数、光合色素、硝酸还原酶活性、硝态氮含量和根系活力,并进行差异性分析。结果表明:(1)10个种源花榈木净光合速率、气孔导度、胞间CO₂浓度、蒸腾速率和水分利用效率差异显著(P<0.05),表明不同种源花榈木光合特性及光能利用效率具有较大差异,浙江杭州和浙江永康花榈木是具有较高光合生长潜力的种源。(2)种源间的叶绿素含量、硝酸还原酶、硝态氮、根系活力存在显著差异,福建建瓯种源的叶绿素a、叶绿素b含量和叶绿素总量最高,能够将光合原初反应过程中积蓄的光能进行高效地传递,促进碳的同化; 贵州花溪种源硝酸还原酶活性最大,硝态氮含量最高,对氮元素的利用能力较强,能够促进植物蛋白质、氨基酸和叶绿素等的合成; 贵州望谟种源根系活力最大,吸收养分的能力强。(3)各种源间苗高、地径和生物量的分配存在显著差异,浙江杭州种源的植株枝叶繁茂、根系发达,生长表现好,安徽黄山种源的植株矮小,生长表现较差; 浙江杭州种源将生物量更多分配在根和叶,提高其根系吸收养分和叶片获取光能的能力,安徽黄山种源总体生物量积累最少,长势最差。(4)通过主成分分析法对各种源的花榈木适应性进行综合评价,结果显示浙江杭州种源>贵州黎平种源>浙江永康种源>贵州望谟种源>福建建瓯种源>贵州凯里种源>贵州石阡种源>贵州花溪种源>贵州平塘种源>安徽黄山种源。综上结果表明,浙江杭州、贵州黎平和浙江永康种源花榈木对贵阳地区立地环境具有较强的适应能力和生长潜力。     

大豆幼苗对套作玉米遮荫环境的光合生理生态响应

以2个耐荫性不同的大豆品种为材料,田间试验设置大豆单作和玉米-大豆套作2个种植模式处理,研究不同耐荫性大豆品种的幼苗光合生理生态特性对套作玉米遮荫环境的响应。结果表明:1)玉米-大豆套作模式中,玉米遮荫显著降低大豆冠层的光合有效辐射,导致大豆幼苗光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率显著下降(P0.05),分别达37.9%、54.2%和42.4%,但品种间无显著差异;而胞间二氧化碳浓度和Fv/Fm无显著变化,且光合速率的下降与气孔导度存在显著相关关系,光合速率下降主要是由气孔限制和CO2同化过程中能量不足所致;2)玉米遮荫显著降低大豆幼苗叶面积指数、叶片碳含量、叶片和根系干重及总生物量,且品种间差异显著,相关性分析显示,叶面积指数下降是导致生物量减少的主要原因;3)玉米遮荫环境中,大豆幼苗的叶片叶绿素和氮素含量提高以增强光捕获能力,但它们并不能补偿因光截获面积降低而引起的光截获量下降。     

Histidine sensitive strain of the blue-green alga Nostoc muscorum: possible nif-his interactions

Summary A variant strain of the nitrogen-fixing bluegreen alga Nostoc muscorum, displaying impairment in its elemental nitrogen dependent growth and complete inhibition of growth by L-histidine in otherwise nitrogen-free medium, has been isolated and characterized for its response to L-glutamic acid and L-glutamine in presence of other inorganic nitrogen sources. A model based on the possibility of nif-his interaction has been proposed to account for the observed behaviour of the strain. It is inferred that the two sets of genes may occupy neighbouring positions on the blue-green algal genome.     

蓝桉凋落叶分解对菠菜生长及光合特性的影响

通过盆栽试验,模拟蓝桉(Eucalyptus globulus)凋落叶在土壤中分解对受体植物菠菜(Spinacia oleracea)生长及光合特性的影响,设置L30(30 g/盆)、L60(60 g/盆)、L90(90 g/盆)和L120(120 g/盆)4个凋落叶施用水平,对照(CK)不加凋落叶。结果表明:(1)在分解30 d时,低量的凋落叶(L30)未抑制菠菜生物量的积累,而中量和高量处理(L60、L90和L120)下其生物量显著降低(P0.05);在凋落叶分解50 d后,蓝桉凋落叶的化感抑制效应已经减弱,仅L120仍然抑制菠菜生物量的积累;(2)一定量的凋落叶(L30和L60)对菠菜叶绿素的合成有促进作用,而凋落叶超过一定量时(L120)转为抑制作用,在凋落叶分解28 d时相对不明显,40 d后逐渐显现;(3)经凋落叶处理的菠菜叶片胞间CO2浓度(Ci)、气孔导度(Gs)及蒸腾速率(Tr)均显著高于对照(CK)(P0.05),而净光合速率(Pn)在L30处理下最高,L60和L90处理与CK差异不显著,仅L120处理显著低于CK(P0.05);(4)光响应与CO2响应曲线的特征参数表观量子效率(AQY)、最大净光合速率(Pmax)、光饱和点(Lsp)、光补偿点(Lcp)、暗呼吸速率(Rd)、Ru BP表观羧化效率(CE)和光呼吸速率(Rp)在L30处理下高于CK,其余凋落叶处理均低于CK,而CO2饱和点(Csp)、CO2补偿点(Ccp)随凋落叶量的增加而升高。综合各指标可见,少量的蓝桉凋落叶分解(L30)可通过增加叶绿素含量,提高对光和CO2的利用能力促进菠菜的光合作用,进而促进其生长,而凋落叶超过一定量时(L90—L120)则起到相反的作用。     

Experimental Studies on the Physiology of the Phycobiont and Mycobiont Ramalina ecklonii By

The lichenized fungus and alga of the fruticose lichen Ramalini ecklonii were isolated into pure cultures. The ascospores of the fungus failed to germinate in less than five weeks incubation in spite of the use of a variety of cultural conditions. The fungus showed a considerable increase in growth on malt extract agar. Both organisms showed a marked tolerance for high concentrations of glucose although growth was quantitatively reduced. The fungus was able to use a variety of carbon and nitrogen sources as well as an extract of algal cells. Cultivation in the absence of biotin and thiamine failed to yield significant amounts of growth. The alga yielded 27 mg of dry weight after three weeks in a synthetic medium under low light intensities. The alga could be grown in satisfactory amounts on CO₂ and inorganic salts with moderate light intensities. Experiments using ¹⁴CO₂ showed the fungus able to incorporate the extra-cellular and intra-cellular products of algal metabolism. The rate of incorporation of extra-cellular products was inhibited by high concentrations of biotin and thiamine. The alga assimilated ^l4CO₂ which was retained by the cells over a period of 14 days, at which time 78 per cent of the activity was insoluble in 80 per cent ethanol. An extract of the fungus labelled with ¹⁴C glucose was partially taken up by the alga and 50 per cent of the label was insoluble in 80 per cent after three days incubation in the light. No lichen acids were found in either the fungal cultures or the algal cultures although large amounts (e.g. 2 liters) of material were extracted and chromatographed. Usnic acid was produced by the intact lichen thallus.     

Fat Synthesis in Unicellular Algae

The cultural conditions of Chlorella ellipsoidea were studied with special reference to lipide accumulation. It was ascertained that there is a close relation between the lipide content and the nitrogen content of cells. Cultivation with the nitrogen-free medium was applied to produce nitrogen deficient cells, and in this culture were studied the effects of light intensity, algal density and depth of algel suspension upon lipide accumulation. The annual yield of fat by mass-culture was roughly estimated.     

Life at elevated CO2 modifies the cell composition of Chromera velia (Chromerida)

We investigated the response to high CO₂ of Chromera velia, a photosynthetic relative of apicomplexan parasites that is possibly involved in symbiotic associations with scleractinian corals. The inorganic C content in the proximity of the symbiotic algal cells within the tissues of scleractinians is disputed. According to some authors, it is very high. A higher C content in the endodermal tissues of scleractinians than in the external environment may have favoured the constitution of symbiosis with organisms such as Symbiodinium and Chromera that have a type II Rubisco, which is intrinsically ill suited to low CO₂ environments. We thus cultured C. velia at the very high inorganic C estimated by some authors and assessed its growth and photosynthetic performance. We also evaluated whether these conditions affected C allocation and elemental stoichiometry in C. velia cells by state-of-the-art Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry in combination with more traditional biochemical and physiological techniques. Our results demonstrated that C. velia was capable of coping with very high CO₂, which even stimulated biomass production and increased N, P, Mn, Fe and Zn use efficiency. Growth at elevated CO₂ changed the stoichiometric relationships among elements in C. velia cells, but had no effect on the relative abundance of the main organic pools. The high CO₂ in the animal tissue surrounding the photosynthetic cells may therefore facilitate C. velia life in symbiosis.     

Carotenoid production and change of photosynthetic functions in Scenedesmus sp. exposed to nitrogen limitation and acetate treatment

Under stress conditions, some microalgae up-regulate certain biosynthetic pathways, leading to the accumulation of specific compounds. For example, changing nutrient composition can induce stress in algae’s physiological activities, which may trigger an intense increase in carotenoid production. In this study, the change of photosynthetic functions and carotenoid production in the green microalga Scenedesmus sp. was investigated when algal cultures were exposed to conditions including limited nitrogen content with the addition of sodium acetate. Microalgal cultures were treated for 18 days under higher irradiance conditions. We observed a decrease of chlorophyll content induced concomitantly with a decline of photosystem II and I photochemistry. At the same time, an important increase in carotenoid content was detected. By using high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis, we found that the secondary carotenoids astaxanthin and canthaxanthin were accumulated compared to controls. During the process of carotenoid accumulation, chlorophyll degradation was found in addition to a strong decrease in photosynthetic electron transport. Such changes may be associated with the structural reorganization of the photosynthetic apparatus and can be a useful indicator of secondary carotenoid accumulation in algal cultures.     

The Molecular Analysis of the Light Adaptation Reactions in the Yellow-green Alga Pleurochloris meiringensis (Xanthophyceae)

The xanthophycean alga Pleurochloris meiringensis was homocontinuously cultured under high light (16 W/m²) and low light (2 W/m²) conditions. In low light cells, the chlorophyll a content and the dry weight on per cell basis is increased, the maximal photosynthetic capacity per chlorophyll is decreased. The content of chlorophyll c, vaucheriaxanthin-ester and heteroxanthin is similar in both cultures, whereas the content of diadinoxanthin and ß-carotene is twice as high in high light cultures. High light cells contain more photosystem I and cytochrome f per chlorophyll than low light cells, whereas the Q_B content is found to be unchanged. Therefore, the ratio reaction center II/reaction center I is twofold higher in low light cells than in high light ones. The regulation of energy distribution between the photosystems is examined by fluorescence emission spectra at 77 K scanned after different preillumination of the cells. No wavelength dependent state I/state II transition can be detected. However, P. meiringensis regulates the energy distribution in response to light intensity: The higher the irradiance of preillumination, the higher the energy transfer to photosystem I. The sensitivity of the regulation to light intensity is increased in low light cells.     

入侵种银胶菊和三叶鬼针草与本地种气体交换特性的比较

以菊科入侵植物银胶菊(Parthenium hysterophorus)和三叶鬼针草(Bidens pilosa)以及与其共生的菊科本地植物小蓟(Cirsium setosum)为对象,比较了3种植物气体交换参数和叶片特性的差异。结果表明,银胶菊和三叶鬼针草的净光合速率(net photosynthetic rate,P_n)、叶绿素含量、比叶面积(specific leaf area,SLA)、叶片单位质量P含量(leaf P content per unit mass,P_(mass))、光合能量利用效率(photosynthetic energy use efficiency,PEUE)和光合氮利用效率(photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency,PNUE)均显著高于小蓟。植物叶片P_n与水分利用效率(water use efficiency,WUE)、叶片P_(mass)、SLA呈极显著正相关,植物叶片单位质量N含量(leaf P content per unit mass,N_(mass))与叶片SLA、单位质量建成成本(leaf construction cost per unit mass,CC_(mass))、叶绿素含量呈极显著正相关。与本地植物相比,较高的气体交换参数和叶片生化指标有可能是银胶菊和三叶鬼针草成功入侵的原因之一。     

Isolation and characterization of a novel chytrid species (phylum Blastocladiomycota), parasitic on the green alga Haematococcus

A parasite was found in cultures of the green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis that grew epibiotically on algal cells and caused epidemics resulting in damage to the host cultures. The parasite was isolated into axenic culture on solid and liquid media. It was demonstrated to be the sole causative agent of the epidemics. According to its life cycle and phylogenetic analysis based on 18S ribosomal DNA sequences, the pathogen appears to represent a novel chytrid fungus closely related to the vascular plant pathogen Physoderma (Blastocladiomycota), although it differs from all other known chytrids by its infective stage, a wall-less propagule endowed with amoeboid motion and lacking the group's typical flagellum.