Prototheca W.Krüger, 1894

Lectotype species: Prototheca zopfii W.Krüger

Original publication: Krüger, W. (1894). Kurze Charakteristik einiger niedrerer Organismen im Saftfluss der Laubbäume. Hedwigia 33: 241-266.

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Type designated in: Negroni, P. & Blaisten, R. (1941). Estudio morfológico y fisiólogico de una especie de Prototheca: Prototheca Ciferrii n. sp., aislada de epidermis de papa. Mycopathologia 35(2): 94-104, 1 table, plates 3-6.

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Description: Unicellular microscopic thalli becoming aggregated in culture when grown on solid substrates. Cells round to ellipsoid 5-40 µm in maximum dimension. Cell walls smooth with an inner polysaccharide layer and an outer trilamellate region. Cells colorless and apochlorotic, without chloroplasts and pyrenoids, but with stored starch. Asexual reproduction by spherical to ellipsoid aplanospores (also referred to as "endospores"), 2-16 per sporangium; released by rupture of parental cell wall. Hypnospores reported for one species. Flagellated stages and sexual reproduction unknown.

Information contributed by: T. Kalina, D. Garbary & M.D. Guiry. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2021-04-02 by M.D. Guiry.

Taxonomic status: This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.

Gender: This genus name is currently treated as feminine.

Comments: Prototheca widely distributed from temperate to tropical conditions in both fresh and marine waters; isolated internally and externally from humans. Prototheca the only known alga which is a disease causing organism in humans; associated with conditions termed protothecosis. Several clinical forms are recognized including skin lesions and bursitis. Pathology associated with P. wickerhamii and P. zopfii. Genus considered close to Chlorella complex. Prototheca has similar bilayered wall structure to genera in Scotiellocystoideae and may be associated with this subfamily; cell walls with resistant polymer consisting of terpenoid units, but with different structure from classical sporopollenin. 18S rRNA sequence studies confirm suggest a close affinity with Auxenochlorella. Species distinguished based on ability to assimilate various organic compounds, and cell size and shape. Ueno et al. (2005) proposed restricting the genus to species incapable of growing on trehalose, and recommend the retenion of four species: P. moriformis, P. stagnora, P. ulmea and P. zopfii.

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Contributors
Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera, organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA) and intended to be published in CD format. These AlgaeBase descriptions are now being continually updated, and each current contributor is identified above. The PSA and AlgaeBase warmly acknowledge the generosity of all past and present contributors and particularly the work of Dr Parker.

Descriptions of chrysophyte genera were subsequently published in J. Kristiansen & H.R. Preisig (eds.). 2001. Encyclopedia of Chrysophyte Genera. Bibliotheca Phycologica 110: 1-260.

Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/genus/detail/?genus_id=44581

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 02 April 2021. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 22 November 2024

 
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