Essential Information & explanations, latest texts & monographs on
Algae.
Alga(Redirected from Algae)
The algae (singular is alga) comprise several different groups of living things that are simple plants, producing energy through photosynthesis. However, most of these groups are not related to the higher plants (Kingdom Plantae), instead representing independent lines of evolutionary development in parallel with the line that led to the higher plants. All algae lack true leaves, roots, flowers, and other tissue structures found in higher plants. They are distinguished from bacteria and protozoa in that they are photoautotrophic, obtaining energy through photosynthesis. Thus, the algae are no longer considered a natural grouping, but the term is still used for convenience. The study of algae is called phycology or algology.
Table of contents showTocToggle("show","hide")
1 Relationships Among Algal Groups
1.1 Prokaryotic Algae
1.2 Eukaryotic Algae
2 Forms of Algae
3 Algal Ecology
Relationships Among Algal Groups
Prokaryotic Algae
Traditionally the cyanobacteria have been included among the algae, referred to as the cyanophytes or Blue-green Algae, though some recent treatises on algae specifically exclude them. Cyanobacteria is one of the first groups of living things to appear in the fossil record, dating back some 3800 million years ago (Precambrian) when they may have played a major role in creating Earth's oxygen atmosphere. They have a prokaryotic cell structure typical of bacteria and conduct photosynthesis directly within the cytoplasm.
Eukaryotic Algae
All other algae are eukaryotes and conduct photosynthesis within membrane-bound structures called chloroplasts. These chloroplasts contain DNA and are similar in structure to cyanobacteria, presumably representing reduced cyanobacterial endosymbionts. The exact nature of the chloroplasts is different among the different lines of algae, possibly reflecting different endosymbiotic events. There are three groups that have primary chloroplasts:
In these groups the chloroplast is surrounded by two membranes, both now thought to come from the chloroplast. The chloroplasts of red algae have a more or less typical cyanobacterial pigmentation, while the green algae and higher plants have chloroplasts with chlorophyll a and b, the latter found in some cyanobacteria but not most. There is reasonably solid evidence that these three groups originated from a common colored ancestor, i.e. chloroplasts developed in a single endosymbiotic event.
Two other groups have green chloroplasts containing chlorophyll b, the euglenids and chlorarachniophytes. These are surrounded by three and four membranes, respectively, and were probably retained from an ingested green alga. Those of the chlorarchniophytes contain a small nucleomorph, which is the remnant of the alga's nucleus. It has been suggested that the euglenid chloroplasts only have three membranes because they were acquired through myzocytosis rather than phagocytosis.
The remaining algae all have chloroplasts containing chlorophylls a and c. The latter chlorophyll type is not known from any prokaryotes or primary chloroplasts, but genetic similarities with the red algae suggest a relationship there. These groups include:
In the first three of these groups (Chromista) the chloroplast has four membranes, retaining a nucleomorph in cryptomonads, and it now appears that they share a common colored ancestor. The typical dinoflagellate chloroplast has three membranes, but there is considerable diversity in chloroplasts among the group, some members presumably having acquired theirs from other sources. The Apicomplexa, a group of closely related parasites, also have plastids though not actual chloroplasts, which appear to have a common origin with those of the dinoflagellates.
Forms of Algae
Most of the simpler algae are unicellular flagellates or amoeboids, but colonial and non-motile forms have developed independently among several of the groups. Some of the more common organizational levels, more than one of which may occur in the life cycle of a species, are:
- Colonial - small, regular groups of motile cells
- Capsoid - individual non-motile cells embedded in mucilage
- Coccoid - individual non-motile cells with cell walls
- Palmelloid - non-motile cells embedded in mucilage
- Filamentous - a string of non-motile cells connected together, sometimes branching
- Parenchymatous - cells forming a thallus with partial differentiation of tissues
In three lines even higher levels of organization have been reached, leading to organisms with full tissue differentiation. These are the brown algae—some of which may reached 70 m in length (kelps)—the red algae, and the green algae. The most complex forms are found among the green algae (see Charales), in a lineage that eventually led to the higher land plants. The point where these non-algal plants begin and algae stop is usually taken to be the presence of reproductive organs with protective cell layers, a characteristic not found in the other algal groups.
Algal Ecology
Algae are an important part of aquatic ecology. Larger algae, called seaweeds, grow mostly in shallow water and provide distinctive habitats. Microscopic forms, called phytoplankton, provide the food base for marine food chains. Phytoplankton can be present in high densities, called algal blooms, which are visible as discoloration of the water. Some algae are used as human food, or harvested to make various products.
The above article is adapted from from Wikipedia All Wikipedia article text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
Algae: A Problem Solver Guide by Julian Sprung
Marine Plants of the Caribbean: A Field Guide from Florida to Brazil by Diane Scullion Littler
How to Know the Freshwater Algae by George W. Prescott
Algae : An Introduction to Phycology by Christiaan van den Hoek
Freshwater Algae of North America: Ecology and Classification by John Wehr
Trees and Forests/from Algae to Sequoias: The History, Life, and Richness of Forests/Book and Stickers (Voyages of Discovery) by Scholastic Books
Chlorella :Natural Medicinal Algae by M.Sc. Dr David Steenblock B.S.
Marine Algae of California by Isabella A. Abbott
Identifying Marine Phytoplankton by Carmelo Tomas
Algae by Linda E. Graham
Seaweed: A Cook's Guide: Tempting Recipes for Seaweed and Sea Vegetables by Lesley Ellis
Diatoms of North America by William C. Vineyard
Vegetables from the Sea : Everyday Cooking with Sea Greens by Jill Gusman
Earth Food Spirulina: How This Remarkable Blue-Green Algae Can Transform Your Health and Our Planet by Robert Henrikson
And the Waters Turned to Blood: The Ultimate Biological Threat by Rodney Barker
Bibliographic Resources
Updates and comments at Essential Facts blog
Are you interested in Feng Shui?
Price Theory Resources
Fructose, Sucrose, Glucose Core Bibliography
World Class Photographers
Some philosophical movements
Top PDF and eBook Downloads
Recent Algae related patents
From USPTO:
6720475: Nucleic acid sequence encoding FLP recombinase
6720419: Sulfated fucan oligosaccharide
6720150: Method for identifying fast - growing fish
6720057: Method for producing a cellulose fibre from hydrocellulose
6720015: Ready-to-eat nutritionally balanced food compositions having superior taste systems
6720014: Phytase-containing foodstuffs and methods of making and using them
6720010: Composition having antihepatitic activity
6719900: Agricultural or industrial spin filter
6719839: Water dispersible compositions containing natural hydrophilic water-insoluble pigments, methods of preparing same and their use
6719488: Soil pf value measuring method, and irrigation control method and irrigation control device
6718077: Method and device for the detection of microorganisms by fiber optics
6716881: Carbanilides used as pesticides
6716874: Synergistic insecticide mixtures
6716794: Utilization of porphyrin derivatives in aquaria
6716631: Evolution of whole cells and organisms by recursive sequence recombination
6716474: Expression of fructose 1,6 bisphosphate aldolase in transgenic plants
6716470: Method and apparatus for making an animal feed gel using a cooled pipe
6716462: Nutritionally balanced traditional snack foods
6716447: Stable carotene xanthophyll beadlet compositions and methods of use
6716366: Chemical composition for treatment of nitrate and odors from water streams and process wastewater treatment
6716359: Enhanced time-based proportional control
6716340: Water treatment system
6716325: Electrolytic cell for hypochlorite generation
6715618: Antimicrobial filtration
6713663: Flowering locus T (FT) and genetically modified plants having delayed flower development
6713618: DNA which encodes trehalase and uses thereof
6713602: Synthetic procedures for peptide nucleic acids
6713282: End selection in directed evolution
6713279: Non-stochastic generation of genetic vaccines and enzymes
6713140: Latently dispersible barrier composite material
6713063: Broad-spectrum .delta.-endotoxins
6712974: Filterable composite adsorbents
6712785: Method of noninvasively obtaining intraductal fluid
6712222: Integrated scum baffle and launder cover for use in a clarifier tank
6712079: Process of cleaning the inner surface of a water-containing vessel
6710879: Method and a system for determination of particles in a liquid sample
6710229: Cell cycle stress-related proteins and methods of use in plants
6710163: Peptide nucleic acid synthons
6710066: Photochemotherapeutic method using 5-aminolevulinic acid and other precursors of endogenous porphyrins
6710045: Heterocyclic fluoroalkenyl thioethers and the use thereof as pesticides (IV)
6710029: Dehydrodidemnin B
6710023: Dishwashing detergent compositions containing organic polyamines
6710017: Compositions and methods for controlling algae in recirculating water systems
6709841: Exonuclease-mediated gene assembly in directed evolution
6709722: Method for producing decorative panels for use in vehicle interiors, and decorative panel
6709648: Hair conditioning composition comprising silicones and frizz control agents
6709582: Combined filter and skimmer assembly for ponds
6709580: Pond skimmer
6709574: Fish pond filter system
from PUBMED
1: McDonald AE, Amirsadeghi S, Vanlerberghe GC.
Prokaryotic orthologues of mitochondrial alternative oxidase and plastid
terminal oxidase.
Plant Mol Biol. 2003 Dec;53(6):865-76.
PMID: 15082931
2: Zhou G, Sun Y, Xin H, Zhang Y, Li Z, Xu Z.
In vivo antitumor and immunomodulation activities of different molecular weight
lambda-carrageenans from Chondrus ocellatus.
Pharmacol Res. 2004 Jul;50(1):47-53.
PMID: 15082028
3: Clement B, Zaid S.
A new protocol to measure the effects of toxicants on daphnid-algae
interactions.
Chemosphere. 2004 Jun;55(10):1429-38.
PMID: 15081786
4: Gombert S, Asta J, Seaward MR.
Assessment of lichen diversity by index of atmospheric purity (IAP), index of
human impact (IHI) and other environmental factors in an urban area (Grenoble,
southeast France).
Sci Total Environ. 2004 May 25;324(1-3):183-99.
PMID: 15081705
5: Coyer JA, Hoarau G, Stam WT, Olsen JL.
Geographically specific heteroplasmy of mitochondrial DNA in the seaweed, Fucus
serratus (Heterokontophyta: Phaeophyceae, Fucales).
Mol Ecol. 2004 May;13(5):1323-6.
PMID: 15078467
6: Mourao PA.
Use of sulfated fucans as anticoagulant and antithrombotic agents: future
perspectives.
Curr Pharm Des. 2004;10(9):967-81.
PMID: 15078127
7: Nader HB, Lopes CC, Rocha HA, Santos EA, Dietrich CP.
Heparins and heparinoids: occurrence, structure and mechanism of antithrombotic
and hemorrhagic activities.
Curr Pharm Des. 2004;10(9):951-66.
PMID: 15078126
8: Chabbi A, Rumpel C.
Chemical composition of organic matter in extremely acid, lignite-containing
lake sediments impacted by fly ash contamination.
J Environ Qual. 2004 Mar-Apr;33(2):628-36.
PMID: 15074815
9: Sinha VR, Singla AK, Wadhawan S, Kaushik R, Kumria R, Bansal K, Dhawan S.
Chitosan microspheres as a potential carrier for drugs.
Int J Pharm. 2004 Apr 15;274(1-2):1-33.
PMID: 15072779
10: Matsuzaki M, Misumi O, Shin-I T, Maruyama S, Takahara M, Miyagishima SY,
Mori T, Nishida K, Yagisawa F, Nishida K, Yoshida Y, Nishimura Y, Nakao S,
Kobayashi T, Momoyama Y, Higashiyama T, Minoda A, Sano M, Nomoto H, Oishi K,
Hayashi H, Ohta F, Nishizaka S, Haga S, Miura S, Morishita T, Kabeya Y, Terasawa
K, Suzuki Y, Ishii Y, Asakawa S, Takano H, Ohta N, Kuroiwa H, Tanaka K, Shimizu
N, Sugano S, Sato N, Nozaki H, Ogasawara N, Kohara Y, Kuroiwa T.
Genome sequence of the ultrasmall unicellular red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae
10D.
Nature. 2004 Apr 8;428(6983):653-7.
PMID: 15071595
11: Masse G, Belt ST, Rowland SJ, Rohmer M.
Isoprenoid biosynthesis in the diatoms Rhizosolenia setigera (Brightwell) and
Haslea ostrearia (Simonsen).
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Mar 30;101(13):4413-8. Epub 2004 Mar 22.
PMID: 15070732
12: Caron DA, Countway PD, Brown MV.
The growing contributions of molecular biology and immunology to protistan
ecology: molecular signatures as ecological tools.
J Eukaryot Microbiol. 2004 Jan-Feb;51(1):38-48.
PMID: 15068264
13: Brinkhoff T, Bach G, Heidorn T, Liang L, Schlingloff A, Simon M.
Antibiotic Production by a Roseobacter Clade-Affiliated Species from the German
Wadden Sea and Its Antagonistic Effects on Indigenous Isolates.
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2004 Apr;70(4):2560-2565.
PMID: 15066861
14: Goedhart J, Gadella TW Jr.
Photolysis of caged phosphatidic Acid induces flagellar excision in
chlamydomonas.
Biochemistry. 2004 Apr 13;43(14):4263-71.
PMID: 15065870
15: Lopez-Archilla AI, Moreira D, Lopez-Garcia P, Guerrero C.
Phytoplankton diversity and cyanobacterial dominance in a hypereutrophic
shallow lake with biologically produced alkaline pH.
Extremophiles. 2004 Apr;8(2):109-15. Epub 2003 Dec 13.
PMID: 15064977
16: Dorn NJ, Wojdak JM.
The role of omnivorous crayfish in littoral communities.
Oecologia. 2004 Apr 3 [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 15064944
17: Tonon T, Harvey D, Qing R, Li Y, Larson TR, Graham IA.
Identification of a fatty acid Delta11-desaturase from the microalga
Thalassiosira pseudonana.
FEBS Lett. 2004 Apr 9;563(1-3):28-34.
PMID: 15063718
18: Yang EC, Boo SM.
Evidence for two independent lineages of Griffithsia (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta)
based on plastid protein-coding psaA, psbA, and rbcL gene sequences.
Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2004 May;31(2):680-8.
PMID: 15062802
19: Allouch J, Helbert W, Henrissat B, Czjzek M.
Parallel Substrate Binding Sites in a beta-Agarase Suggest a Novel Mode of
Action on Double-Helical Agarose.
Structure (Camb). 2004 Apr;12(4):623-32.
PMID: 15062085
20: Alekseeva SA, Bakunina IY, Nedashkovskaya OI, Isakov VV, Mikhailov VV,
Zvyagintseva TN.
Intracellular Alginolytic Enzymes of the Marine Bacterium Pseudoalteromonas
citrea KMM 3297.
Biochemistry (Mosc). 2004 Mar;69(3):262-9.
PMID: 15061691
|