. The Biological bulletin. Biology; Zoology; Biology; Marine Biology. SEXUAL PHEROMONES IN ALGAE 151. FIGURE 3. Vaucheria litorea. Spermatozoids attracted to oogonium. Scale bar 100 Progress in interpretation of these phenomena was hampered by the extremely small amounts of attractants secreted by female gametes. Their concentration was far below the potential of analytical chemistry until 20 years ago. The situation changed dramatically with the isolation and structural identification of the first brown algal pheromone, ectocarpene (Muller, 1967, 1968; Miiller et al., 1971; Jaenicke and Miill
. The Biological bulletin. Biology; Zoology; Biology; Marine Biology. SEXUAL PHEROMONES IN ALGAE 151. FIGURE 3. Vaucheria litorea. Spermatozoids attracted to oogonium. Scale bar 100 Progress in interpretation of these phenomena was hampered by the extremely small amounts of attractants secreted by female gametes. Their concentration was far below the potential of analytical chemistry until 20 years ago. The situation changed dramatically with the isolation and structural identification of the first brown algal pheromone, ectocarpene (Muller, 1967, 1968; Miiller et al., 1971; Jaenicke and Miiller, 1973). In the past 17 years, 10 pheromone systems have been analyzed in detail, including all those species on which accurate observations on chemotaxis were depicted last century. The rapid progress in this field, documented in earlier review articles (Muller, 1972; Jaenicke, 1977; Muller, 1981; Jaenicke and Boland, 1982), was inspired and accelerated by cooperation between biologists and biochemists. Today, our knowledge extends beyond information confined to the structures and sources of these compounds. Experimental results have made possible conclusions on pheromone biosynthesis, receptor specificity, details of the perception process and chiral recognition. Even interspecific interferences by chemical means in the natural habitat may be involved. It is a fascinating view of marine ecology to visualize the sea as the domain of such unusual messenger substances as these volatile, hydrophobic brown algal pheromones. Isolation and chemical structures Ectocarpene was the first brown algal pheromone identified. It was detected during culture studies with Ectocarpus siliculosus by its fragrant smell and a characteristic reaction (chemokinesis) of male gametes (Muller, 1967). To obtain the volatile active principle, a stream of purified air was first passed through suspensions of female ga- metes, then through a cold trap. In total, 92 mg pure pheromone could be collec
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Keywords: ., bookauthorlilliefrankrat, booksubjectbiology, booksubjectzoology
