Plasmodesmata in Fungal Cell Walls

Abstract

WHEN we compared electron micrographs of developing zygospores of Rhizopus sexualis (Smith) Callen and Gilbertella persicaria (Eddy) Hesseltine, we found that we had both, independently, demonstrated the presence of fine transcellular strands in the newly formed septa which separate young gametangia from their suspensors. These simple, unbranched strands occur at intervals in sections of the gametangial wall (Figs. 1 and 2). They resemble the plasmodesmata of higher plant cell walls. We believe this to be the first report of plasmodesmata in fungal reproductive structures and that it is, together with a report of hyphae in Endomycopsis fibuliger¹, one of the rare instances of plasmodesmata in fungi.