Ultrastructural Alterations in Lepocinclis acus (Euglenophyta) Induced by Medium with High Organic Matter Content

CONFORTI, VISITACIÓN T.; RUIZ, LAURA B.; LEONARDI, PATRICIA I.

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

Frontiers

Año: 2017 vol. 5

Ultrastructural changes inducedby exposure to excess of organic matter were studied in Lepocinclisacus (ex Euglenaacus). Thecells isolated from the Matanza River, Buenos Aires, Argentina, were grown insoil water medium (SWM). When transferred to medium enriched withBacteriological Peptone OXOID, marked body deformation and a significantshortening and widening of the cells was observed. These changes were unexpectedin a species with quite rigid cells, a condition previously shown in studies ofthe pellicle fine structure. Transmission electron microscopy observationssuggest that cellular deformation might be facilitated by an increase in stripnumber, whereas in the original strips normal ultrastructure was maintained. Anincrease in number and volume of paramylon grains and vacuoles, as well as thepresence of membrane whorls in vacuoles was observed. The fine structure oforganisms grown in medium with and without organic matter enrichment wascompared, and the systematic and ecological importance of morphological changestriggered by cell deformation was discussed.