Chris Jessen Tami Neff Biology 1615 26 February 2014 Introduction Summary (Cell Division of Algae)

Cell division in unicellular structures is not understood very well. By closely studying single celled fresh water algae (Desmids), that have two rigid cells and shares a nucleus and the way they perform cell division can help to better understand how cell division in unicellular structures occurs. All cells under go something called cytokinesis, which is when the cytoplasm divides at the end of mitosis or meiosis and creates two other cells. Water plants (charophytes) do cell division differently then plants do that are found on land. There are many different forms of algae, which have many different patterns of cell division. There is actually a lot more forms of cell division then there are in land plants. However, these types of division are poorly understood and have not been closely studied. Cell division in algae has not been greatly studied. Taking a closer look at the different types of algae and the way that cell division occurs will help to better understand these water plants and the evolution of the plants. There are some known ways that algae perform cell division, these forms of cell division are mainly through cytokinesis. There are other undocumented forms of cell division. To better understand the different forms of cell division the algae needed to be studied from the inside. To better understand this subject Hall, McCourt, and Delwiche, undertook a broad preliminary survey of cell division in these taxa and placed that diversity in the context of molecular phylogenetic data. In

addition to reporting characteristics of cell division for a number of genera and species, evidence concerning the evolution of centripetal cell division was also studied (95: 645). By studying cell division algae it will be easier to understand water plants, how they live, their ancestry or evolution, and better understand cells as a whole. Materials and Methods The experiment was done in a controlled manner with specific steps and procedures. DNA was extracted from the chloroplast of the algae. The DNA was then stained with different types of dye and then aligned in a specific series. The stained DNA was then observed many times throughout the day. The algae were gathered from a site where it was grown in a controlled environment away from other contaminants. After the Algae was stained it was observed at many different times throughout the day with a light microscope. Analyses were done to detect the evolutionary relationships between the 9 different types of algae. Results Different species of algae showed different orders in the way that cell division occurred. All cells deposited a cell wall by the process of cytokinesis. Also, all 9 different types of algae cells lengthened to some extent at some point before separating. Some algae lengthened more then others. Most of the cell walls deposited during cytokinesis were deposited at the neck of the cell called the isthmus. The above sequence for the 9 different types of algae studied did not occur in the same order. For example, the Bambusina borreri had the most unforeseen results. The cells formed new cell walls during Cytokinesis rather then after

cytokinesis. Most other forms of algae formed the needed cell wall for cell division after or towards the end of cytokinesis. This occurred usually after the cell had lengthened to some extent. Discussion The results of how the algae cells divided shows that land plants and water plants are closely related. Both land plants and water plants, such as algae, have traits like mitosis and cell division. Among algae there were 5 different types of cell division, but the algae are still related to land plants in all the ways, because of the way that they perform cell division. Cytokinesis occurs in all the forms of algae studied. The information given does support the authors hypothesis, that the way cells are patterned is partly decided when cell division occurs. Conclusion There are obviously many different ways that cells can divide in algae. Exactly what differences in the way that algae cells divide is still unsure. There needs to be more studies in the future that specifically study each type of algae in more detail. By studying the algae in greater detail, the evolution of the plants and the way that they perform cell division may become clearer. This study was merely a preliminary study to help future studies that may be done.

Works Cited Hall, John D., McCourt, Richard M., Delwiche, Charles F. "Patterns of cell division in the filamentous Desmidiaceae, close green algal relatives of land plants " American Journal of Botnay 95 (2008): 645. Print