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. 1977 May 1;73(2):311–321. doi: 10.1083/jcb.73.2.311

Chitinous fibrils in the lorica of the flagellate chrysophyte Poteriochromonas stipitata (syn. Ochromonas malhamensis)

PMCID: PMC2109911  PMID: 858740

Abstract

Ordered microfibrils are formed on the membrane of the cytoplasmic tail of the alga Poteriochromonas after attachment to a substrate. The ultrastructure of native and extracted stalk fibrils was studied with electron microscope methods. In addition, the structural polysaccharide was characterized by hydrolyses, separation of the monomers by thin- layer chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography and amino acid analysis, and by X-ray diffraction. The alkali-resistant fibrils yielded mostly glucosamine upon extensive hydrolysis, and showed X-ray diffraction patterns similar to those of fugal chitin. It is concluded that the resistant core of the fibrils is chitinous.

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Selected References

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