A new geographic record of the oomycete Olpidiopsis feldmanni infecting the tetrasporophytic stage of the red alga Asparagopsis sp. from the Adriatic Sea, confirmed through morphological identification, allowed us to expand previous observations of this organism. Ultrastructural investigations of environmental material showed a large central vacuole and a cell wall thicker than previously reported from other basal oomycete pathogens of algae. Phylogenetic analysis closely associates O. feldmanni to O. bostrychiae concurrent with structural observations. This constitutes the first genetic characterisation of an Olpidiopsis species that was initially described before 1960, adding to the genetic data of 3 other marine Olpidiopsis species established and genetically characterised in the last 2 decades. The paper discusses concurrences of the ultrastructural observations made here and in previous studies of the marine Olpidiopsis species with those made on the freshwater species.
Oomycete diseases in seaweeds are probably widespread and of significant ecological and economic impact, but overall still poorly understood. This study investigates the organisation of the cytoskeleton during infection of three brown algal species, Pylaiella littoralis, Ectocarpus siliculosus, and Ectocarpus crouaniorum, by the basal marine oomycete Eurychasma dicksonii. Immunofluorescence staining of tubulin revealed how the development of this intracellular biotrophic pathogen impacts on microtubule (MT) organisation of its algal host. The host MT cytoskeleton remains normal and organised by the centrosome until very late stages of the infection. Additionally, the organisation of the parasite's cytoskeleton was examined. During mitosis of the E. dicksonii nucleus the MT focal point (microtubule organisation centre, MTOC, putative centrosome) duplicates and each daughter MTOC migrates to opposite poles of the nucleus. This similarity in MT organisation between the host and pathogen reflects the relatively close phylogenetic relationship between oomycetes and brown algae. Moreover, actin labelling with rhodamine-phalloidin in E. dicksonii revealed typical images of actin dots connected by fine actin filament bundles in the cortical cytoplasm. The functional and phylogenetic implications of our observations are discussed.
Eurychasma dicksonii is one of the most common and widespread marine pathogens and attacks a broad spectrum of more than 45 brown algal species. The present study focuses on the mechanism used by the pathogen to attach on the host cell wall and force its way into algal cells. Ultrastructural examination revealed a needle-like structure which develops within the attached spore and extends along its main axis. Particular cell wall modifications are present at the basal part of the spore (adhesorium pad) and guide the needle-like tool to penetrate perpendicularly the host cell wall. The unique injection mechanism is shared with Haptoglossa species which suggests that this is an important characteristic of early diverging oomycetes. Furthermore, the encystment and adhesion mechanism of E. dicksonii shows significant similarities with other oomycetes, some of which are plant pathogens. Staining and immunolabelling techniques showed the deposition of β-1,3-glucans on the host cell wall at the pathogen penetration site, a strategy similar to physical responses previously described only in infected plant cells. It is assumed that the host defense in terms of callose-like deposition is an ancient response to infection.
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