Division : Chlorophyta

Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Zygmemales
Family: Zygnemaceae
Genus : spirogyra

Spirogyra are free-floating green algae present in freshwater habitats such as

ponds, lakes, etc. commonly known as “water silk or pond silk”.
filamentous and unbranched
vegetative structure.
The genus Spirogyra is
named after the unique spiral
chloroplast present in the
cells of algae.
• Photosynthetic and
contribute substantially to the
total carbon dioxide fixation
carried out.
Spirogyra is classified under
Chlorophyta due to the
presence of chlorophyll.
The genus contains around
400 species. Structure of
Spirogyra
Spirogyra is an unbranched filamentous thallus with slimy mucilaginous sheath
around filament
• Multicellular thallus with cylindrical cell joined end to end
• They are 10-100 µm in width and may grow several centimetres in length
• The cell wall is made up of two layers, inner cellulose and outer pectose. The
slimy mucilage sheath is present.
• In each cell, there is a nucleus, cytoplasm, a large central vacuole and spiral
chloroplasts (1-16) ribbon-shaped and arranged spirally.
Chloroplast contains many pyrenoids in a row. Pyrenoids store starch and protein
Spirogyra: Filament Spirogyra: An individual cell Reproduction Spirogyra undergo
vegetative, asexual and sexual reproduction.
The life cycle of Spirogyra is haplontic, i.e. the dominant stage is free-living
haploid (n) gametophyte and the sporophyte is represented only by the diploid
zygote (2n) Vegetative reproduction is by fragmentation. preferred mode . due to
mechanical injury or dissolution of the middle lamella with a change in the salinity
and temperature of the water, Sometimes the middle lamella of one cell protrudes
into an adjacent cell resulting in the breakage of the filament.
Reproduction
 Spirogyra undergo vegetative, asexual and sexual reproduction.
 The life cycle of Spirogyra is haplontic, i.e. the dominant stage is free-living
haploid (n) gametophyte and the sporophyte is represented only by the
diploid zygote (2n)
 Vegetative reproduction is by fragmentation. preferred mode . due to
mechanical injury or dissolution of the middle lamella with a change in the
salinity and temperature of the water, Sometimes the middle lamella of one
cell protrudes into an adjacent cell resulting in the breakage of the filament

 Asexual reproduction is found in few of the species of Spirogyra. Asexual

reproduction is by the formation of azygospores, akinetes or aplanospores.
• APLANOSPORES (under unfavourable conditions) The protoplast shrinks and
forms a wall around it which results in the formation of aplanospores.
• AKINETES and aplanospores are also formed similarly but they have a thicker
cell wall of cellulose and pectin, non-motile spores
• AZYGOSPORES (parthenospores) are the gametes, that failed to fuse during
sexual reproduction and develop into a new filament asexually.

SEXUAL REPRODUCTION: Isogamous,

Conjugation is of two types,
Scalariform conjugation and lateral conjugation.
• Scalariform Conjugation (H-shape conjugation):
• In scalariform conjugation, two filaments of Spirogyra sp come together and lie
side by side. The structure formed looks like a ladder Tube-like structure develops
from each cell of the two filaments lying together Conjugation canal is formed of
the developing tube. The male gamete fuses with female gamete of the other
filament and one of the filaments becomes empty and the other has zygotes which
are released after the decay of the parent filament and germinate under favourable
conditions

ii) Lateral conjugation: It occurs between the cells of same filament among

homothallic species of Spirogyra. It occur by two methods

 a) Indirect lateral conjugation: In this method, two adjacent cells of same

filament develop lateral outgrowth. Due to lateral outgrowth and enzymatic

activities the septum between the cells breaks forming conjugation tube. The

male gamete moves through the conjugation tube and fused with female

gamete forming zygote or zygospore, which develop into new filament.

 b) Direct lateral conjugation: It is primitive type of conjugation occurring in

few species. In this type, lower cell of the two adjacent cells get enlarged and

form barrel shaped female gamete, while other behave as male gamete. The

male gamete develop pointed boring organ which create pore mechanically or

enzymatically on middle of the septum. The protoplasm of male gamete

migrate through the pore and fused with female gamete forming zygospore

which develop into new filament under suitable condition.

 Germination of Zygospore in Spirogyra:

 Zygospores are thick walled sexual spore. It is a diploid spore and is releases

after decay of the female filament. It is a resting spore and resistant to

unfavourable environmental condition. Under suitable condition zygospore

germinate. Before germination, diploid nucleus of zygote divide meiotically

into haploid nucleus. Three of which degenerate and only one become

functional. During germination outer wall of spore absorb water swells up

and burst exposing inner layer as cylindrical germ tube. The germ tube

divides transvers all to form two celled structure. Lower cell form rhizoids

and attached to substratum while upper cell divides repeatedly to form new

filament. The filament get detached from the substratum and become free

floating Spirogyra.

Life cycle of Spirogyra:

 The life cycle of Spirogyra occurs via one of the three ways; vegetative, asexual,
and sexual. The vegetative and sexual cycles are more common than asexual
cycles.
 A form of alternation of generation characterizes the life cycle of Spirogyra. It is
haploidic meaning, the haploid gametophytic structure of the organism is the
 prolonged structure followed by a brief diploid zygospore as the sporophytic
structure.
 This is observed during sexual reproduction where the life cycle of the organism
alternated between the haploid filament and the diploid zygospore.
 The zygospore is the only diploid phase in the sexual life cycle. After fusion, the
female gametangia undergo decay to release the zygospore.
 The zygospore remains at the bottom of the pond until a favourable condition is
present.
 The zygospore then divides meiotically to form four haploid nuclei, out of which
only one survives.
 The zygospore then slowly grows in size and bursts to release the germ tube. It is
followed by repeated transverse divisions of the germ tube to form a haploid
filament.