ALGAE

Biological and economic

importance of Algae
• Primary producers in aquatic environmrnt.
• Red and brown sea weeds- fertilizers
• Agar-Well known solidifying agent
– Polymer of galactose
– Obtained from wall of red algae
– Species of Gelidium and Gracilaria
– Carriers in drugs and lotions and ointments
– Processing in puddings, jellies etc
• Carrageenan
– Walls of red algae
– Polymers of galactose
– Chondrus, Gigartina and Eucheuma
– Used as stabilizer or emulsifier in foods (ice creams)
– Used as binder in toothpaste or pharmaceutical
products
– Finishing compounds in paper and textile industry
– Thickening agent in lotions, shaving creams and soap
industry
• Alginic acid
– Walls of brown algae
– Macrocystis, Agarum, Laminaria, Fucus,
Ascophylum
– Used in ice creams prevents ice crystal
formation
– Used by dentistsfor making impressions of
teeth
• Diatomaceous earth
– Used for filters or filter aids
– Not chemically reactive
– Can be readily compacted and compressed
during use
 Algae as food
• Used as food in far east.
• Pophyra –Japan (Nori)-dried-soups, rice
• Red algae –China
• Chlorella- food for humans and domestic
animals
•
 Algae and diseases
• Prostheca: Systemic and subcutaneous
infection, bursitis- infalmmation of joints
• Parasitic in higher plants- Cephaleuros-
attacks leaves of tea, coffee, pepper
• Toxins-lethal to fish and other animals
• Gymnodinium and Gonyaulax- produces
neurotoxins
 Characteristics of Algae
• Vide range of sizes and shape
• Single cells- spherical, rod shaped, club
shaped of spindle shaped
• Multicellular
• Cell wall- thin and rigid
• Diatoms- impregnated with silica making
them thick and very rigid
 STRUCTURE
• Thallus (haploid)
• Four types of algae
– Unicellular
– Colonial
– Filamentous
– multicellular
IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF ALGAE
 Algal Pigments
• Chlorophylls, carotenoids and biloproteins
• Chlorophyll
– Chlorophyll a, b, c, d and e
– A-present in all algae
Carotenoids
Two kinds of carotenoids-carotenes and Xanthophylls
Biloproteins
Water soluble pigments
Pigment-protein complexes
Two kinds-phycocyanin and phycoerythrin
 Motility
• Motile –falgella at anterior or poterior ends
• No means of locomotion-carried by tides,
waves and currents
• Zoospores-asexual reproductive cells
 Reproduction
• Reproduce sexually and asexually
• Zoospores-motile spore by flagella
• Aplandospores- non-motile spores
• Isogamy- Two gametes are identical
• Heterogamy- Male and female gametes
CLASSIFICATION OF ALGAE
• SEVEN PHYLUM BASED ON
– COLOR
– TYPE OF CHLOROPHYLL
– FOOD-STORAGE SUBSTANCE
– CELL WALL COMPOSITION
 Phylum Chlorophyta
• Green algae
• 7000 diverse species
• Biologist reason that green algae give rise
to land plants.
• Both green algae and land plants have
chlorophyll a and B as well as carotenoids
and store food as starch
• Both have walls made of cellulose
 Phylum Phaeophyta
• 1500 species of Brown
algae
• Mostly marine and include
seaweed and kelp
• All are multicellular and large
(often reaching lengths of
147 feet)
• Individual alga may grow to a
length of 100m with a
holdfast, stipe and blade
• Used in cosmetics and most
ice creams
 Phylum Rhodophyta
• 4000 species of RED Algae
• Most are marine
• Smaller than brown algae and are often
found at a depth of 200 meters.
• Contain chlorophyll a and C as well as
phycobilins which are important in
absorbing light that can penetrate deep
into the water
• Have cells coated in carageenan which is
used in cosmetics, gelatin capsules and
some cheeses
Phylum Euglenophyta
• 1000 species of
Euglenoids
• Have both plantlike
and animal-like
characteristics
• Fresh water