Isolation and Characterization of Pure lines of Pigmentation and Morphological Mutants in Porphyra tenera Kjellman (Bangiales, Rhodophyta)

Pure lines were isolated from young gametophytic blades of pigmentation and morphological mutants in Porphyra tenera. Growth, blade-shape and photosynthetic pigment content of pure lines were compared with the wild type. Growth of blade length in the wild type (W, R-B), with round shape and brown color, was fastest at 5~10℃ and became slower as temperature increased. The blade-shape of the wild type changed from linear to round as temperature increased. The green type (R-G), with round shape and green color, showed slower growth, and the red type (R-R)with round shape and red colorshowed faster growth than the wild type. The blade-shapes of the green and red types changed from elliptical or linear to round as temperature increased. The phycoerythrin (PE) / phycocyanin (PC) ratio of the green type was markedly lower and the PE/PC ratio of the red type was markedly higher than that of the wild type. The linear type (L-B), with liner shape and brown color, showed faster growth in blade length than the wild type at 10~20℃ and maintained its linear shape at 5~15℃. The content of photosynthetic pigments of the linear type was similar to that of the wild type. Each of the pure lines of pigmentation and morphological mutants that were isolated in the present study showed particular patterns in growth, blade-shape and photosynthetic pigment composition. Therefore, they are expected to be useful as new varieties by themselves and to be available for breeding and biotechnological studies.