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Plant and Cell Physiology, 1986, Vol. 27, No. 8 1523-1532
© 1986

Article

Cytolysis of Free-Living Algae by Complement

Bernd Benninghoff1, Mohamed R. Daha2, Alfred Nisius1, Juergen Pohl3 and Hans G. Ruppel1

1Department of Biology, University of Bielefeld P. O. Box 8640, D-4800 Bielefeld 1, F.R. Germany
2Department of Nephrology, University Hospital NL-2333 AA Leiden, The Netherlands
3Division of Experimental Cancer Research, Asta-Werke AG, Degussa Pharma Group D-4800 Bielefeld 14, F.R. Germany

Cells of Euglena gracilis show a marked change in cell shape when normal rat serum is added—they contract assuming a spherical shape. Contraction is followed by irreversible cytolysis. Examination of lysed cells by electron microscopy revealed numerous lesions of about 10 nm inner diameter in the cell membrane. However, heat-inactivated sera neither affected the characteristic elongated state of Euglena nor caused any lesions in the cell membrane. Assay using radiolabelled (1251) anti C5b-C9(m) antibodies showed that the lytic complexes are integrated into the cell membrane of Euglena. When C4-deficient and factor D-depleted sera were used as complement sources, the results showed that the killing of Euglena was dependent on an intact alternative pathway of the complement. This serum-mediated lysis of algae also occurred in different systematic groups: Chilomonas paramecium (Cryptophyceae), Chroomonas spec. (Cryptophyceae), Ochromonas danica (Chrysophyceae), Astasia longa (Euglenophyceae), Distigma elegans (Euglenophyceae), and Polytomella spec. (Chlorophyceae).

(Received May 28, 1986; Accepted September 16, 1986)
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