Red Algae and Green Algae

By Mark Zhou and Asad Zaheer

Structure

• May live in colonies• Store energy as starch• Stacked thylakoids• Cell walls made of cellulose• Most have flagella

• Red color from phycoerythrin • Store energy as floridean starch• Unstacked thylakoids• Outer cell wall made of pectic acid• No flagella

Red Green

• Unicellular or multicellular• Nonvascular• Same pigments as vascular plants• Double-membrane chloroplasts• No centrioles• Inner cell wall made of cellulose

• Unicellular or Multicellular• Nonvascular• Same pigments as vascular plants• Double-membrane chloroplasts• No centrioles• Cell wall made of cellulose

DiversityRed Green

Domain: EukaryaKingdom: ProtistaPhylum: Rhodophyta

Domain: EukaryaKingdom: PlantaePhylum: Chlorophyta, Charophyta

Nutrition and MetabolismRed Green

• Photosynthesis

• Floridean starch made in cytosol

• Photosynthesis

• Starch made in plastids

Reproduction• Alternation of generations

• Some reproduce asexually

• Sperm lack flagella, so they depend on water currents to reproduce

• Alternation of generations

• Some reproduce asexually

• Sexual reproduction by flagellated gametes

UniquenessRed Green

• Unstacked thylakoids and cytosolic floridean starch

• Phycoerythrin allows it to live deeper in the water

• Some can excrete calcium carbonate

• Only algae to form pit connections after cytokinesis

• Closest ancestor to vascular plants

• Most common algae on land

• Form symbiotic relationships with other organisms

Ecological SignificanceRed Green

• Calcium carbonate used in bone-replacement therapy

• Used to expel intestinal worms

• Agar used in foods and agarose gel

• Carrageenan used for yogurt, chocolate milk, and puddings

• Porphyra used in Japanese cuisine

• Make up coral reefs

• Help treat herpes simplex

• Endosymbiotic with some organisms.

• Carotenes may help treat or cause cancer

• Some are invasive or parasitic

• Counter global warming

ExamplesTrentepohlia

Red Green

Porphyra

Used to produce laver, gim, and nori.

P: RhodophytaC: RhodophyceaeO: BangialesF: BangiaceaeG: Porphyra

P: ChlorophytaC: UlvophyceaeO: TrentepohlialesF: TrentepohliaceaeG: Trentepohlia

Parasitic on trees.

ExamplesCaulerpa

Red Green

Eucheuma

Used to produce carrageenan, which is used in cosmetics and foods.

P: RhodophytaC: RhodophyceaeO: GigartinalesF: AreschougiaceaeT: Eucheumatoideae

P: ChlorophytaC: BryopsidophyceaeO: BryopsidalesF: CaulerpaceaeG: Caulerpa

Sea grapes. Used in East Asian cuisine

ExamplesVolvox

Red Green

Coralline Algae

Excrete calcium carbonate. Make up coral reefs.

P: RhodophytaC: FlorideophyceaeO: Corallinales

P: ChlorophytaC: ChlorophyceaeO: VolvocalesF: VolvocaceaeG: Volvox

Colonial algae.

ExamplesDunaliella salina

Red Green

Gracilaria

Excrete calcium carbonate. Make up coral reefs.

P: RhodophytaC: FlorideophyceaeO: GracilarialesF: GraciliaraceaeG: Gracilaria

P: ChlorophytaC: ChlorophyceaeO: VolvocalesF: DunaliellaceaeG: DunaliellaS: D. salina

Halophilic. Creates large amounts of carotenoids and glycerol.

ReferencesCampbell, Neil A., & Reece, Jane B. (2002). The Origins of Eukaryotic Diversity. Biology: Sixth edition (p. 565-567). Sansome St., San Francisco, CA: Benjamin Cummings.

Freshwater, D. Wilson. (2000). Rhodophyta. Red Algae. The Tree of Life Web Project. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from: http://tolweb.org/Rhodophyta/2381/2000.03.24. Guiry, Michael. (2011). The Seaweed Site: Information on marine algae. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from: http://www.seaweed.ie/index.html.

University of California Museum of Paleontology. (2012). The Protists. UGMP Taxon Lift. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/index/protista.html.

Gietler, Scott (photographer).(n.d.). Garibaldi and Red Algae [Online image]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/catalina-island-underwater.

Pfaff, Sydney (utilizer). (2011). Ingredient Spotlight: Red Algae [Online image]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://blog.sephora.com/2011/04/ingredient-spotlight-red-algae.html

Texas Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences . (n.d.). Muskgrass, Chara [Online image]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/plant-identification/alphabetical-index/muskgrass/

Wiegand, Alice (photographer). (2006). Nori [Online image]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nori.

Navez, Bruno (photographer). (2007). Trentepohlia sp. on Cryptomeria japonica bark [Online image]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trentepohlia_(alga)

Bioted Biology Technology Devolopment (2012). Rong Nho [Online Image]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://bioted.vn/biofeed/?mode=news&id=325.

The Seaweed Site: Information on Marine Algae. Iris Maerl [Image of purple algae]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://www.seaweed.ie/uses_ireland/irishmaerl.html

National Ocean and Atmospheric Organization (photographer). (2010). [Image of brain coral and sea plumes]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/20100825_seaweb.html