In rapidly growing hyphae of Saprolegnia ferax, all nuclei contain arrays of kinetochore microtubules, which suggests that the nuclei are all in various phases of mitosis, with no apparent interphase. In prophase nuclei, kinetochore microtubules form a single, hemispherical array adjacent to the centrioles. This array separates into two similar arrays after centriole replication. The two arrays...

The secondary cysts of the fish pathogen oomycete Saprolegnia parasitica possess bundles of long hooked hairs that are characteristic to this economically important pathogenic species. Few studies have been carried out on elucidating their specific role in the S. parasitica life cycle and the role they may have in the infection process. We show here their function by employing several strategie...

Oomycetes are a family of eukaryotic microbes that superficially resemble fungi, but which are phylogenetically distinct from them. These organisms cause major global economic losses to agriculture and fisheries, with representative pathogens being Phytophthora infestans, the cause of late potato blight and Saprolegnia diclina, the instigator of "cotton molds" in fish. As in all eukaryotes, cyt...

The embryo has traditionally been considered to completely rely upon parental strategies to prevent threats to survival posed by predators and pathogens, such as fungi. However, recent evidence suggests that embryos may have hitherto neglected abilities to counter pathogens. Using artificial fertilization, we show that among-family variation in the number of Saprolegnia-infected eggs and embryo...

The effects of sublethal concentrations of a variety of chemicals on the susceptibility of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) juveniles to Saprolegnia parasitica infection was examined. Sublethal concentrations of un-ionized ammonia (0.05 mg/liter) and nitrite (0.12 mg/liter) increased fish susceptibility after 10 days of exposure to the toxin, this increase being higher for ammonia (75% and 2...