The zygote cell wall of Chlamydomonas reinhardii: a structural, chemical and immunological approach.

The zygote cell wall of Chlamydomonas reinhardii has been studied using structural, chemical and immunological methods. Monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal antisera that were originally raised to the major hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins of the vegetative cell wall were used to probe the zygote wall for common antigenic components. These antibodies cross-reacted strongly and specifically with components of the zygote cell wall, and were used to show the origin, route of transport, and the location of these antigens within the zygote cell wall. The zygote cell wall contained about 10% protein, with hydroxyproline accounting for 22.5 mol % of the total amino acids present. Glucose was the most abundant sugar residue, and accounted for 56% of the total sugar present. Gas liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry showed the presence of a (1-3)β-D-glucan as the major structural polysaccharide within the zygote cell wall. The (1-3)β-D-glucan was detected and localised within the zygote cell wall by immunogold labelling of thin sections. Using an antiserum directed against (1-3)β-D-linked glucose units, this polysaccharide was found to be consistently present within the non-staining layer of both young and mature zygote cell walls. (1-3)β-D-Glucan was also detected in other wall layer using higher concentrations of antiserum. No intracellular labelling was found, indicating that the plasmamembrane is the site for the synthesis of this polysaccharide within the Chlamydomonas zygote.