Cell wall constituents of several siphoneous green algae in relation to morphology and taxonomy

Abstract

Cell wall hydrolysates of the gametophytic phases of Bryopsis plumosa and Derbesia tenuissima contained large amounts (= percentages of more than 10) of xylose and glucose, whereas walls of the sporophytic phases contained large amounts of mannose and glucose. Xylan was demonstrated by infrared spectrometry in the cell walls of the gametophytic phases of these two species and mannan in the sporophytic phases. However the cell walls of both the gametophytic and sporophytic phases of the taxonomically related species Bryopsidella neglecta contained large amounts of xylose and glucose, and the presence of xylan in the cell wall of the sporophyte could be confirmed by infrared spectrometry. Mannan was also demonstrated in the cell walls of Codium and Pseudobryopsis. The hydrolysates of these walls contained large amounts of mannose. The hydrolysates of utricleless or juvenile stages of Codium also contained large amounts of glucose. Dominant monosaccharides in the cell walls of Caulerpa proved to be glucose, ...