Chitin localisation and retention in the exit tubes of the holocarpic oomycete Anisolpidium rosenvingei

The finding of the enigmatic pathogen Anisolpidium rosenvingei in the filamentous brown macroalga Pylaiella littoralis presented a unique opportunity to histochemically study the distribution of chitin in this little-known pathogen using FUNGALASETM-F, a fluorescein labelled chitinase. Chitin was found localised to the exit tube of this pathogen, which infects exclusively reproductive cells of its host. The cytological and phylogenetic implications of this finding are discussed. This paper also reports the first record of this pathogen in the United Kingdom, on the west coast of Scotland.

Automated summary

The discovery of the pathogen Anisolpidium rosenvingei in the brown macroalga Pylaiella littoralis allowed for a unique opportunity to study the distribution of chitin in this little-known pathogen using a specific fluorescently labelled chitinase. The chitin was found localized to the exit tube of the pathogen, which infects the reproductive cells of its host. This study also marks the first record of this pathogen in the United Kingdom, specifically on the west coast of Scotland.