Cell Biology of Physarum and Didymium V1

Organisms, Nucleus, and Cell Cycle

1st Edition - January 28, 1982
Editor: Henery Aldrich
Language: English
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 1 4 9 5 9 - 4

Cell Biology of Physarum and Didymium, Volume I: Organisms, Nucleus, and Cell Cycle presents important experimental research on Physarum and Didymium for developmental and cellu… Read more

Cell Biology of Physarum and Didymium V1

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Cell Biology of Physarum and Didymium, Volume I: Organisms, Nucleus, and Cell Cycle presents important experimental research on Physarum and Didymium for developmental and cellular studies. This book is organized into four parts, encompassing 12 chapters that summarize the taxonomy, biological activities, genetics, and cell cycle of these organisms.

The opening part covers two chapters on morphology, taxonomy, phylogeny, biosystematics, and evolutionary implications of Physarum and Didymium species. This is followed by discussions on the biological aspects of these species. These include periodic events of the mitotic cycle in Physarum polycephalum. The general characteristics of chemoreception at the membrane level using plasmodium as a model organism, as well as the structure and motility of plasmodium, are also included. The third part of the book focuses on genetic analysis of plasmodium development and the discovery of techniques for the genetic manipulation of P. polycephalum. Progress in the genetic analysis of other processes is summarized.

The concluding part examines the morphological evolution of the nucleus during the mitotic cycle together with the results from ultracytochemical and radioautographic studies. It also includes a discussion on DNA organization and replication in P. polycephalum. Finally, the synthesis and degradation of RNA in Physarum and the relationship of these biochemical processes to mitotic cycle and differentiation are tackled in the concluding chapter.

The book will serve as a frequent, single reference source to brief cell biologists on the primary research on Physarum and Didymium. It will be a good source for graduate students in cell biology, and perhaps in other graduate courses.

Contributors

Preface

Part I. Introduction to the Organisms

1. Morphology, Taxonomy, and Phylogeny

I. Introduction

II. The Order Physarales

III. General Taxonomy

IV. Phylogeny

References

2. Didymium iridis in Past and Future Research

I. Introduction

II. Laboratory Cultivation and Maintenance

III. Isolates Studied and Their Origin

IV. Reproductive Cycles

V. Chromosomal Numbers and Nuclear DNA Contents

VI. Speciation and Evolutionary Diversification

VII. Research on the Plasmodial Stage

VIII. Sporophore Stage

IX. Amoeboflagellate-Microcyst Stage

X. Concluding Remarks

References

Part II. Characteristic Biological Phenomena

3. Periodic Phenomena in Physarum

I. Introduction

II. Nuclear Division Cycle

III. Periodic Enzyme Synthesis

IV. Other Periodic Events of the Mitotic Cycle

V. Shuttle Streaming

References

4. Chemotaxis in Plasmodia of Physarum polycephalum

I. Introduction

II. The Experiment

III. Response to Carbohydrates

IV. Hydrophobicity and Heterogeneity of Functional Membranes

V. Electrostatic Interactions in Relation to Chemoreceptive Thresholds

VI. Correlation between Tension Generation and Tactic Movement

VII. Manipulation of Intracellular Components in the Plasmodial Strands

VIII. Intracellular Control of Chemotaxis

IX. Rhythmicity of the Plasmodial Contractile System

X. Effects of Temperature on Membrane Activities

XI. Summary

XII. Glossary of Symbols

References

5. Plasmodial Structure and Motility

I. Introduction

II. Plasmodial Morphology

III. Mechanism of Protoplasmic Streaming in the Plasmodium

IV. An Oscillating Regulatory System Controls Shuttle Streaming

V. A Preliminary Model for the Molecular Mechanism of Shuttle Streaming in the Plasmodium

References

Part III. Genetics

6. Genetics of Physarum polycephalum

I. Genetic Control of the Life Cycle and of Plasmodium Development

II. Genes Affecting Processes Other Than Development

III. General Comments on Methods

References

7. Ploidy throughout the Life Cycle in Physarum polycephalum

I. Introduction

II. Methods of Estimating Ploidy

III. Ploidy throughout the Life Cycle

IV. Factors Affecting Ploidy

V. Uses of Cultures with Different Ploidy

References

8. Genealogy and Characteristics of Some Cultivated Isolates of Physarum polycephalum

I. Introduction

II. Origin of Isolates

III. Characteristics of Isolates

References

Part IV. The Plasmodial Cell Cycle

9. Nuclear Organization during the Cell Cycle in the Myxomycete Physarum polycephalum

I. Introduction

II. Structure of the Chromosomes during the Mitotic Cycle

III. The Nucleolar Cycle

IV. The Mitotic Apparatus

References

10. Chromosome Organization and Chromosomal Proteins in Physartun polycephaltun

I. Introduction

II. Nucleosome Structure

III. Nucleolar Chromatin

IV. Histones

V. Postsynthetic Modifications of Histones

VI. Nuclear Histone Kinase

VII. Non-Histone Chromosomal Proteins

References

11. Organization and Replication of DNA in Physartun polycephalum

I. The Groundwork

II. Early Advances

III. Current Research Areas

References

12. RNA Metabolism

I. Introduction

II. Properties of DNA and RNA

III. RNA Synthesis

IV. RNA Degradation

V. Transcription in the Mitotic Cycle

VI. Transcription in Differentiation

VII. Concluding Remarks

References

Index