Chara Data

Chara is a fascinating organism and has tremendous potential for research. Chara is used to answer questions about gravitropism, ion fluxes, cytoplasmic streaming, motor proteins, cytoskeletal organization to name a few topics.

Bartnik E, Sievers A (1988) In-vivo observations of a spherical aggregate of endoplasmid reticulum and of Golgi vesicles in the tip of fast-growing Chara rhizoids. Planta 176: 1-9
Bartnik E, Hejnowicz Z, Sievers A (1990) Shuttle-like movements of golgi vesicles in the tip of growing Chara rhizoids. Protoplasma 159: 1-8
Bisson MA, Siegel A, Chau R, Herdic S, Gelsomino S (1991). Distribution of charasomes in Chara: Banding pattern and effect of photosynthetic inhibitors. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 18: 81-93
Blackman LM, Overall RL (1998) Immunolocalisation of the cytoskeleton to plasmodesmata of Chara corallina. Plant Journal 14: 733-741
Braun M (1996) Anomalous gravitropic response of Chara rhizoids during enhanced accelerations. Planta 199: 443-450
Braun M, Sievers A (1993) Centrifugation causes adaptation of microfilaments; studies on the transport of statoliths in gravity sensing Chara rhizoids. Protoplasma 174: 50-61
Braun, M. (1997) Gravitropism in tip-growing cells. Planta 203: S11-S19
Braun M, Sievers A (1994) Role of the microtubule cytoskeleton in gravisensing Chara rhizoids. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 63: 289-298
Braun M (2002) Gravity perception requires statoliths settled on specific plasma membrane areas in characean rhizoids and protonemata. Protoplasma 219: 150-159
Buchen B, Hejnowicz Z, Braun M, Sievers A (1991) Cytoplasmic streaming in Chara rhizoids - studies in a reduced gravitational field during parabolic flights of rockets. Protoplasma 165: 121-126
Forsberg, C (1965) Nutritional studies of Chara in axenic cultures. Physiol. Plant. 18: 275-290
Godlewski M (1980) Auxin as a factor regulating initiation of mitosis in antheridial filaments of Chara vulgaris l. Biochem Physiol. Pflanzen 175: 314-321
Grolig F, Just I, Aktories K (1996) ADP-ribosylation of actin from the green alga Chara corallina by Clostridium botulinum C2 toxin and Clostridium perfringens iota toxin. Protoplasma 193: 77
Hertel A, Steudle E (1997) The function of water channels in Chara: The temperature dependence of water and solute flows provides evidence for composite membrane transport and for a slippage of small organic solutes across water channels. Planta 202: 324
Hertel R, Friedrich U (1973) Abhängigkeit der geotropischen Krümmung der Chara-Rhizoide von der Zentrifugalbeschleunigung. Zeitschrift Pflanzenphysiol. 70: 173-184
Katembe WJ, Swatzell L, Makaroff C, Kiss J (1997) Immunolocalization of integrin-like proteins in Arabidopsis and Chara. Physiol. Plant. 99: 7-14
Karol KG, McCourt RM, Cimino MT, Delwiche CF (2001) The closest living relatives of land plants. Science 294: 2351-2353
Kiss JZ (1994) The response to gravity is correlated with the number of statoliths in Chara rhizoids. Plant Physiol. 105: 937-940
Kiyosawa K, Adachi T (1990) Survival and death of Chara internodal cells in electrolyte solutions and calcium release from the cell wall. Plant Cell Envir. 13: 471-476
Klämbt D, Knauth B, Dittmann I (1992) Auxin dependent growth of rhizoids of Chara globularis. Physiol. Plant. 85: 537-40
Leitz G, Schnepf E, Greulich K (1995) Micromanipulation of statoliths in gravity-sensing Chara rhizoids by optical tweezers. Planta 197: 278-288
Luhring H, Tazawa M (1985) Cytoplasmic Ca2+ has no effect on the exitability of Chara plasmalemma. Plant Cell Physiol. 26: 769-774
McCurdy D, Harmon A (1992) Phosphorylation of a putative myosin light chain in Chara by calcium-dependent protein kinase. Protoplasma 171: 85-88
McLean B, Mclean G, Juniper B (1991) Particle rosettes and microtubular ridges on the plasma membrane of Chara. Cell Biol. Int. Reports 15: 319-334
Okihara K, Ohkawa T, Tsutsui I, Kasai M (1991) A Ca2+-dependent and voltage-dependent c1--sensitive anion channel in the Chara plasmalemma - a patch-clamp study. Plant Cell Physiol. 32: 593-601
Reid R, Overall R (1992) Intercellular communication in Chara - factors affecting transnodal electrical resistance and solute fluxes. Plant Cell Envir. 15: 507-517
Ryan P, Newman I, Arif I (1992) Rapid calcium exchange for protons and potassium in cell walls of Chara. Plant Cell Envir. 15: 675-683
Smith FA (1984) Regulation of the cytoplasmic pH of Chara corallina in the absence of external Ca2+ - Its significance in relation to the activity and control of the H+ pump. J. Exp. Bot. 35: 1525-1536
Staves, M.P. (1997) Cytoplasmic streaming and gravity sensing in Chara internodal cells. Planta 203: S79-S84
Staves MP, Wayne R, Leopold AC (1992) Hydrostatic pressure mimics gravitational pressure in characean cells. Protoplasma 168: 141-152
Staves MP, Wayne R, Leopold CA (1997) The effect of the external medium on the gravity-induced polarity of cytoplasmic streaming in Chara corallina (Characeae). Am. J. Bot. 84: 1516-1521
Tazawa M, Kikuyama M (2003) Is Ca2+ release from internal stores involved in membrane excitation in characean cells? Plant Cell Physiol. 44: 518-526
Tester M, MacRobbie E (1990) Cytoplasmic calcium affects the gating of potassium channels in the plasma membrane of Chara corallina -a whole-cell study using calcium-channel effectors. Planta 180: 569-581
Todd P (1994) Mechanical analysis of statolith action in roots and rhizoids. Adv. Space Res. 14: 121-124
Wayne R, Staves MP, Leopold AC (1992) The contribution of the extracellular matrix to gravisensing in characean cells. J. Cell Sci. 101: 611-623
Wayne R, Staves MP (1991) The density of the cell sap and endoplasm of Nitellopsis and Chara. Plant Cell Physiol. 32: 1137-1144
Zhu G, Boyer J (1992) Enlargement in Chara studied with a turgor clamp - growth rate is not determined by turgor. Plant Physiol. 100: 2071-2080

*High Gradient Magnetic Fields move Chara* statoliths.** By clicking on the images a video clip will demonstrate: The typical behavior of statoliths in a rhizoid The clumping and movement (lifting and sedimentation) of statoliths in a Chara rhizoid after latrunculin treatment. Segmentation of cytoploasmic streaming in oryzalin-treated rhizoids
Statoliths in intact rhizoid	Sedimentation and clumping after latrunculin treatment	Oryzalin effects on cytoplasmic streaming