Studies on the Fine Structure ofGlaucocystis nostochinearumItzigs.

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Abstract
A study has been made of the cell wall of the alga Glaucocystis nostochinearum with standard physical and chemical techniques. The presence of cellulose has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis supported by chemical methods. The microfibrils are 200–300 Å wide and 80–100 Å thick, in both shadowed and negatively stained material. They appear homogeneous structures with a tip tapering to about 50 Å and with no sign of the presence of ‘elementary fibrils’. Older wall lamellae appear unusual in having relatively little observably encrusting material. The microfibrils are oriented in the classical crossed microfibrillar pattern, with two major directions at 90°±30° to each other and an occasional third direction at about 45° to the other two, each occurring in a separate lamella. The over-all architecture of the wall appears very similar to that of Valonia (Siphonales) in that one of the major microfibril orientations occurs as a slow helix, whilst the other is a very steep helix (generally present as meridians linking pole to pole). There are differences from Valonia since in some areas of limited extent the microfibrils lie approximately at random. This makes the detailed wall architecture more complex than in Valonia Amongst the techniques used was freeze-etching which lends itself admirably to a study of this organism, particularly of its wall. The results are discussed in relation to other plants having the crossed microfibrillar wall structure.

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