Microtubule-kinetosome relationships in the motile cells of the Blastocladiales

Summary Motile cells of four members of the fungal order Blastocladiales have been examined with respect to distribution of intracellular microtubules. In all cases, the cellular microtubules originate from a sleeve of electron opaque material which surrounds the proximal third of the kinetosome. The microtubules run forward in the zoospores, ensheathing the nucleus and the nuclear cap before terminating at the anterior ends of the cells. Each cell contains 27 microtubules which are arranged in 9 groups of 3 tubules each. The significance of these observations with respect to centers of organization for microtubules is discussed.This work was supported by a grant (GB-4529) from the National Science Foundation.