AB05-Chlorophytes

Chlorophytes

A group of green microalgae that are diverse and found in various aquatic environments.

Primary Endosymbiosis

The process by which eukaryotic algae originated through the engulfment of cyanobacteria by heterotrophic cells.

Phototaxis

Movement of an organism in response to light; can be positive (toward light) or negative (away from light).

Flagella

Long, whip-like structures that aid in locomotion of many aquatic organisms.

Eyespot

A light-sensitive pigmented spot that allows algae to detect changes in light direction.

Rhodopsin

A light-sensitive protein found in the eyespots of some algal cells, important for photoreception.

Prasinophyceae

A class of small, primarily marine green microalgae with diverse morphologies.

Volvocales

An order within the Chlorophyceae that includes unicellular and multicellular green algae.

Calcification

The process of depositing calcium carbonate, which is common in some charophyceae, particularly in calcareous environments.

Spirogyra

A genus of filamentous green algae known for its spiral-shaped chloroplasts.

Charophyceae

A class of green algae closely related to land plants, exhibiting features such as oogonia and antheridia for reproduction.

Contractile Vacuoles

Organelles that help maintain osmotic balance by expelling excess water in freshwater algae.

Algal Symbiosis

An association between two different organisms where one partner, usually an alga, lives within the tissues of another organism.

Pyrenoid

A proteinaceous body within chloroplasts, associated with photosynthesis and storage of starch.

Thylakoids

Membrane-bound compartments inside chloroplasts where the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis occur.

Euglena

A genus of flagellated protists that can photosynthesize and are often used as an example of plant-animal hybrid traits.

Zygospore

A thick-walled resting spore formed during the sexual reproduction of certain algae, allowing survival in adverse conditions.

Cyanobacteria

Photosynthetic bacteria that played a crucial role in the evolution of chloroplasts in algae and land plants.

Carotenoids

Pigments found in chloroplasts that are responsible for the yellow, orange, and red colors of many algae.

Chlorophyll

The green pigment found in chloroplasts, essential for photosynthesis, absorbing light energy.

Nucleus

The membrane-bound organelle that contains the genetic material (DNA) of eukaryotic cells.