CIRCADIAN-RHYTHM OF PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS IN GENERATIVE AND NONGENERATIVE ANTHERIDIAL CELLS OF CHARA-VULGARIS L

Autoradiographic studies have shown that in a natural light/dark alternation there is a clear circadian rhytm of translational activity in manubria, capitular cells and antheridial filament cells of Chara vuljaris. The manubria, which are the secretory cells, exhibited rapid decreases and increases of translational activity. The reaction of capitular and antheridial filament cells to day/night changes is delayed in comparison with the reaction of manubria. It seems that the manubria play the role of oscillators (starter cells) inducing the wave of changes of activity in other cells functionally connected with them. The manubria and, maybe, the capitular cells and antheridial filament cells as well, have a circadian rhythm entrained to 24 hours by natural day/night alternation and, because of that, the translational rhythm can be observed under constant illumination, although the rhythm tends to decrease in amplitude after 5-6 days. No circadian rhythm of translational activity was observed in antheridia grown in continuous light for the whole developmental period.