Isolation of protoplasts by means of a ?species-specific? autolysine inChlamydomonas

Abstract

Prior to fusion, gametes ofChlamydomonas reinhardii discard their cell walls. This naturally occuring phenomenon has provided the basis for a method of protoplast isolation from both gametes and vegetative cells within the genusChlamydomonas. When synchronized cultures of compatibleChlamydomonas gametes are mixed it is possible, after removal of the cells, to obtain a solution having a high cell wall lytic activity. That vegetative and gamete cells after treatment with this “gamete-autolysine” are indeed protoplasts has been proved by various light and electron microscopical methods. The species specifity of this autolysine, its difference to the previously described “sporangialautolysine” (Schlosser 1966) and furthermore its use in the large scale production of protoplasts is also described. Since this wall autolysine is a factor produced by the cells themselves at a particular stage in their life cycle it represents a non-foreign agent in contrast to all other enzymic methods previously employed for protoplast isolation.