Morphological changes of giant mitochondria in the unicellular to multicellular phase during parthenogenesis of Ulva partita (Ulvophyceae) revealed by expression of mitochondrial targeting GFP and PEG transformation

SUMMARY

A giant mitochondrion that branches and connects as a single mitochondrion in a cell has been observed during specific phases of the cell cycle of unicellular green algae, but has not been observed in multicellular algae. The genus Ulva is a green macroalga in which the haploid and diploid phases are isomorphic and its gametes develop parthenogenetically. The existence or absence of the giant mitochondrion, and its behavior in Ulva partita, were investigated using a parthenogenesis system. To observe the parthenogenesis of gametes and the dynamics of mitochondria by fluorescence microscopy, we developed an experimental system for culturing and observing U. partita on cover slips: gametes were suspended in 6‐well plates filled with artificial seawater, and cover slips were placed on the well bottoms. The gametes settled on the cover slips as spherical cells (1‐cell S phase). These cells grew into larger cells, losing their eyespot (1‐cell L phase), and developed into multicellular thalli. Gene introduction using the polyethylene glycol (PEG) method is available with transformation efficiencies of 9.0–15.1%. Transformation was performed using a plasmid encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to the mitochondrial targeting sequence, and mitochondria were labeled by GFP fluorescence. This revealed a string‐shaped giant mitochondrion in a cell of the 1‐cell S phase. In the 1‐cell L phase, a reticular mitochondrion was observed. After the initiation of cell division, the reticular mitochondrion was fragmented, and small oval mitochondria were observed in the 5‐cell phase.