| Abstract: | Ultrastructural studies on tetraspore formation in Levringiella gardneri revealed that 3 stages may be recognized during their formation. The youngest stage consists of a uninucleate tetraspore mother cell with synaptonemal complexes present during early prophase of meiosis I. Mitochondria are aggregated around the nucleus, dictyosome activity is low, and chloroplasts occur in the peripheral cytoplasm. A 4-nucleate tetraspore mother cell is formed prior to tetrahedral cell cleavage, and an increase in the number of chloroplasts and mitochondria occurs. Small straight-profiled dictyosomes secrete vesicles into larger fibrous vesicles or contribute material to the developing tetraspore wall. During the second stage of tetraspore formation, striated vesicles form within endoplasmic reticulum, semicircular profiled dictyosomes secrete vesicles for fibrous vesicles or wall material, and starch formation increases. The final stage is characterized by the disappearance of striated vesicles, presence of straight, large dictyosomes which secrete cored vesicles, and an abundance of starch grains. Cleavage is usually complete at this stage and the tetraspore wall consists of a narrow outer layer of fibrillar material and an inner, electron transparent layer. These spores are surrounded by a tetrasporangial wall which was the original wall surrounding the tetraspore mother cell. |
