Heterokont algae and the Crysophyta

Outline

Heterokont algae

flagellated cells have whiplash and tinsel flagella

tubular cristae in their mitochondria

"eyespot"

stigma + flagellar swelling

+ and - phototaxis

chloroplasts

• chlorophylls a & c
• fucoxanthin as accessory pigment
• ring shaped DNA molecules
• thylakoids in sets of three
• four chloroplast membranes (outer 2 = chloroplast ER)

laminarin or chrysolaminarin as reserve material in vesicle

The origin of the heterokont chloroplast

4 membranes...

endosymbiosis of a eukaryotic alga

Chrysophyta -- golden-brown algae

Cells

walls -- siliceous scales or loricas

contractile vacuoles

Life cycle

haplontic

statocysts

Ecology

Mostly autotrophic, some mixotrophic

mostly in oligotrophic lakes (good P uptake)

Vocabulary

click here to go to Chrysophyta vocabulary