Regulation of intracellular algae by various strains of the symbiotic Hydra viridissima

Abstract

In observations on three strains of green hydra, the host and the algal mitotic index is closely coordinated only for the smallest. As the hydra strain size increases the coordination of host and algal mitosis progressively breaks down, first in timing for a medium-sized strain and then in rate for a large strain. Despite disparities between host and algal mitotic index, the number of algae per host cell remains constant in all strains during the interval measured. To account for this constancy we suggest that the hydra may either prolong the duration of the algal tetraspore stage or cull excess algae.