COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON THE CELL WALLS OF SEXUAL AND ASEXUAL <em>BANGIA ATROPURPUREA</em> (RHODOPHYTA). II. ELECTROPHORETIC PATTERNS OF POLYSACCHARIDES.

Cellulose acetate of the hot water soluble polysaccharide extracts from whole filaments, as well as base., mid and tip segments, of marine asexual and sexual Bangia atropurpurea (Roth) C. Ag. yielded distinctive patterns which demonstrated that changes occur in the outer cell walls during sexual reproduction. Heterogeneity of the sulfated polysaccharide components isolated from outer cell walls was shown to be specifically related to sexual reproduction. Two components (Bands I and II) were detected in extracts from tips of sexual filaments, while only one (Band I) was present in the vegetative segments of all filaments and in asexual reproductive regions. The faster running component (Band II) was detected during the later stages of sexual development, prior to maturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]