Abstract
Flagellar length is a controlled mechanism in the biflagellate alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Several long flagellar mutants have been isolated and used to demonstrate that this is a dynamic process. We characterized the morphology of the lf4 mutant using immunofluorescence (IMF) and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Using IMF, the FLA10p and LF4p localized to flagella in a punctate pattern, likely indicating intraflagellar transport (IFT) particles. No bulbous tips were observed in lf4, unlike the lf2 and lf3 mutants as reported by Tam and coworkers (2003, 2007). Multiple IFT particles were observed in cross‐sectional and longitudinal flagellar ultrastructure of lf4 using TEM. Plus, an as yet unidentified electron‐dense structure in an lf4 cross‐section was observed to connect the outer doublet microtubules to the cell membrane. Quantification of IFT particles per length, area and volume of flagella revealed that there were twice as many IFT particles in cross sections of lf4 vs. wild‐type cells. The regulation of flagellar length appears to involve not only regulation of flagellar assembly and disassembly by IFTs but also other signal pathways operating in flagellar assembly and disassembly.
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