Ultrastructure and development of urediospore ornamentation in Melampsora lini

Abstract

The urediospores of Melampsora lini (Ehrenb.) Lev. are echinulate, with spines ca. 1 μ long over their surface. The spines are electron-transparent, conical projections, with their basal portion embedded in the electron-dense spore wall. The entire spore, including the spines, is covered by a wrinkled pellicle ca. 150–200 Å thick. The spore wall consists of three recognizable layers in addition to the pellicle. Spines form initially as small deposits at the inner surface of the spore wall adjacent to the plasma membrane. Endoplasmic reticulum occurs close to the plasma membrane in localized areas near the base of spines. During development, the spore wall thickens, and the spines increase in size. Centripetal growth of the wall encases the spines in the wall material. The spines progressively assume a more external position in the spore wall and finally reside at the outer surface of the wall. A mutant strain with finely verrucose spores was compared to the wild type. The warts on the surface of the mutant spores are rounded, electron-dense structures ca. 0.2–0.4 μ high, in contrast to spines of the wild type. Their initiation near the inner surface of the spore wall and their eventual placement on the outer surface of the spore are similar to that of spines. The wall is thinner in mutant spores than in wild-type spores.