球形棕囊藻是我国沿海常见有害藻华物种, 游离单细胞和囊体细胞是其异型生活史中主要的细胞形态。该研究通过分离游离单细胞和囊体细胞分别引发囊体的再次形成, 以阐明两种类型细胞在球形棕囊藻生活史转化过程中的作用。游离单细胞可诱导形成更高的生物量和更多的囊体, 但是两者诱导产生的囊体体积和囊体细胞数量并无显著性差异。游离单细胞诱导产生的囊体在单位表面积上的细胞密度更高, 排列更加紧密, 因此结构更加紧致。同棕囊藻藻华发生时以囊体为优势形态不同, 该研究发现只有不到15%的细胞以囊体细胞的形态存在。游离单细胞和囊体细胞均可引发囊体形成, 有利于球形棕囊藻藻华的形成以及规模的维持。
Phaeocystis is regarded as a harmful algal genus in Chinese coastal waters, and has an unusual hetero-morphic life cycle that includes gelatinous colonies and solitary cells. Colonial (C) and solitary cells (S) were collected to initiate the colony formation to assess their roles in the growth and colony development of P globosa. Total biomass and colony abundance of P globosa derived from colonial cells were less than solitary ceils. The differences in the colony diameter and cells per colony between S and C treatments were insignificant. Colony ofP globosa derived from solitary cells generated much higher cell density per unit surface area; cells were closely arranged, thus archeticture was more stable. Unlike in nature where colony was dominant, less than 15% total cells were in colonial form in our studies. The energy loss during life cycle caused fewer cells per unit colony surface. The initiations to the colony formation by both colonial and solitary cells are important determinants in maintaining the bloom and responsible for the success ofP globosa in marine systems.