ELECTROFUSION OF PROTOPLASTS OF 2 SPECIES OF PORPHYRA (RHODOPHYTA)

Protoplasts of Porphyra linearis were fused with those of P. miniata u sing an electrofusion technique. Newly isolated protoplasts derived fr om these species were cleaned and resuspended in a solution containing 0.8 M mannitol and 1 mM CaCl2. Fusion was achieved by applying a puls ed DC current of 130 V (BTX Optimizer: field strength 2.71 kV cm(-1), 103.2 V peak) following the alignment of protoplasts with an AC curren t of 6 V (field strength 0.29 kV cm(-1), 11.2 V peak). The fused proto plasts from the two species were then transferred to D-ll medium and m icro-cultured at 7-10 degrees C, 12 : ($) over bar 1 ($) over bar 2, L : ($) over bar D with a photon flux density of 16 mu mol m(-2) s(-1) After 4 weeks some of the putative hybrids developed plantlets of a fe w cells.