Development and ultrastructure of the marine, parasitic Oomycete,Lagenisma coscinodisci Drebes (Lagenidiales): Formation of the primary zoospores and their release

Abstract

Zoosporogenesis inLagenisma begins after the final nuclear division by the development of “encystment vesicles” which presumably are derived from Golgi vesicles. The sporangial wall is secreted simultaneously. Initially, the encystment vesicles have an internal coat of fine ribs which becomes a uniform mass during the complicated invagination of the vesicles. When the sporangial wall is complete the protoplast cleaves centripetally by means of narrow “cleavage cisternae” apparently coming from the distal face of the dictyosomes and being detached by interposing ER cisternae. The cleavage cisternae fuse with each other and with the plasmalemma to which they are often parallel. Narrow cytoplasmic compartments are then cut off and swell to become “separation vesicles” which lie between the developing zoospores but later disintegrate. Basal bodies develop from procentrioles after the final nuclear division and elongate into flagella (without participation of a flagellar vesicle) when cleavage is complete. The mastigonemes are formed within the ER, mature within the peripheral elements of the dictyosomes near the flagellar bases and appear to be extruded after the elongation of the flagellum. Structurally, especially in the organization of the flagellar root apparatus, the zoospores resemble primary zoospores of other Oomycetes. They become motile within the zoosporangium but seem to be driven out by means of additional unknown forces.—Formation of the encystment vesicles and the manner of cleavage are compared with those of other Oomycetes and general aspects ofLagenisma zoosporogenesis are discussed.