Skip to main content
The Journal of Cell Biology logoLink to The Journal of Cell Biology
. 1976 Feb 1;68(2):264–275. doi: 10.1083/jcb.68.2.264

Localization of actin filaments in internodal cells of characean algae. A scanning and transmission electron microscope study

PMCID: PMC2109631  PMID: 1245548

Abstract

New methods of visualizing subcortical actin filament bundles, or fibrils, in Characean internodes confirm that they are associated with chloroplasts at the surface facing the streaming endoplasm, and reveal that they are continuous over long distances. With the scanning electron microscope, an average of four to six fibrils are seen bridging a file of chloroplasts. The same configuration appears in negatively stained preparations of large blocks of chloroplast files connected by actin fibrils. Few branches of the subcortical fibrils are evident. These findings are discussed with respect to the mechanism of cytoplasmic streaming in Characeae.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (3.5 MB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Allen N. S. Endoplasmic filaments generate the motive force for rotational streaming in Nitella. J Cell Biol. 1974 Oct;63(1):270–287. doi: 10.1083/jcb.63.1.270. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bajer A. Notes on ultrastructure and some properties of transport within the living mitotic spindle. J Cell Biol. 1967 Jun;33(3):713–720. doi: 10.1083/jcb.33.3.713. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Behnke O., Forer A., Emmersen J. Actin in sperm tails and meiotic spindles. Nature. 1971 Dec 17;234(5329):408–410. doi: 10.1038/234408a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bradley M. O. Microfilaments and cytoplasmic streaming: inhibition of streaming with cytochalasin. J Cell Sci. 1973 Jan;12(1):327–343. doi: 10.1242/jcs.12.1.327. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Forer A., Behnke O. An actin-like component in spermatocytes of a crane fly (Nephrotoma suturalis Loew). I. The spindle. Chromosoma. 1972;39(2):145–173. doi: 10.1007/BF00319840. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gawadi N. Actin in the mitotic spindle. Nature. 1971 Dec 17;234(5329):410–410. doi: 10.1038/234410a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hinkley R., Telser A. Heavy meromyosin-binding filaments in the mitotic apparatus of mammaliam cells. Exp Cell Res. 1974 May;86(1):161–164. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(74)90662-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Huxley H. E. The mechanism of muscular contraction. Science. 1969 Jun 20;164(3886):1356–1365. doi: 10.1126/science.164.3886.1356. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Lazarides E. Tropomyosin antibody: the specific localization of tropomyosin in nonmuscle cells. J Cell Biol. 1975 Jun;65(3):549–561. doi: 10.1083/jcb.65.3.549. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Lazarides E., Weber K. Actin antibody: the specific visualization of actin filaments in non-muscle cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 Jun;71(6):2268–2272. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.6.2268. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Nagai R., Rebhun L. I. Cytoplasmic microfilaments in streaming Nitella cells. J Ultrastruct Res. 1966 Mar;14(5):571–589. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(66)80083-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. O'Brien T. P., Thimann K. V. Intracellular fibers in oat coleoptile cells and their possible significance in cytoplasmic streaming. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1966 Sep;56(3):888–894. doi: 10.1073/pnas.56.3.888. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Palevitz B. A., Ash J. F., Hepler P. K. Actin in the green alga, Nitella. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 Feb;71(2):363–366. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.2.363. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Palevitz B. A., Hepler P. K. Identification of actin in situ at the ectoplasm-endoplasm interface of Nitella. Microfilament-chloroplast association. J Cell Biol. 1975 Apr;65(1):29–38. doi: 10.1083/jcb.65.1.29. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Tilney L. G., Hatano S., Ishikawa H., Mooseker M. S. The polymerization of actin: its role in the generation of the acrosomal process of certain echinoderm sperm. J Cell Biol. 1973 Oct;59(1):109–126. doi: 10.1083/jcb.59.1.109. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Weber K., Groeschel-Stewart U. Antibody to myosin: the specific visualization of myosin-containing filaments in nonmuscle cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 Nov;71(11):4561–4564. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.11.4561. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Williamson R. E. Actin in the alga, Chara corallina. Nature. 1974 Apr 26;248(5451):801–802. doi: 10.1038/248801a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Williamson R. E. Cytoplasmic streaming in Chara: a cell model activated by ATP and inhibited by cytochalasin B. J Cell Sci. 1975 May;17(3):655–668. doi: 10.1242/jcs.17.3.655. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Cell Biology are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES