Spore Cell Wall Research Articles

Fine structure of Penicillium megasporum conidiospores.

An investigation was conducted on the fine structure ofP. megasporum conidiospores using both chemical fixation and the freeze-etching techniques. The spore cell wall was shown to consist of several layers, one of which is chiefly fibrillar in nature. The surface of the spore appears to be covered by ordered arrays of “rodlets” which are embedded in or resting upon a thin layer of homogenous material. At higher magnification, these “rodlets” appear as linear arrays of particles approximately 50 A in diameter. This layer may be of a cutaneous nature. In addition, the plasma membrane was shown to be covered by particles, some of which appear to migrate to the inner layer of the cell wall. Numerous invaginations of the plasma membrane were also seen.