Cell Biology of Physarum and Didymium V2

Differentiation, Metabolism, and Methodology

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

Cell Biology of Physarum and Didymium, Volume II: Differentiation, Metabolism, and Methodology summarizes important experimental research using Physarum and Didymium for… Read more

Cell Biology of Physarum and Didymium V2

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Cell Biology of Physarum and Didymium, Volume II: Differentiation, Metabolism, and Methodology summarizes important experimental research using Physarum and Didymium for developmental and cellular studies. This book is organized into three parts, encompassing 28 chapters that cover the differentiation, metabolism, and experimental techniques for cellular studies. After presenting an introduction to some aspects of developmental biology, this volume describes the ultrastructure and physiology of sporulation, spore germination, encystment, excystment, spherulation, and spherule germination. This is followed by a discussion on regulatory events leading to morphogenesis and on biochemical, physiological, and structural data on the amoeboid stage. The second part focuses on metabolic aspects. This includes metabolic characteristics of myxomycetes; the formation of nucleotides in Physarum by de novo synthesis and from nucleic acid degradation products; and radiation and radiomimetic agents on myxomycete species. Considerable chapters in the concluding part are devoted to procedures and protocol for isolation of cell components from Physarum and Didymium species. This volume also evaluates some techniques, including electron microscopy, time-lapse microcinematography, phase-contrast microscopy, Feulgen staining, and culture methods. The concluding chapters examine the preparation, isolation, and characterization of ribonucleic acid, histone, plasmodial polysaccharides, myosin, actins, and fragmin. The book will serve as a frequent, single reference source to brief cell biologists on the primary research on Physarum and Didymium. It will also be a good source for graduate students in cell biology and perhaps in other graduate courses.

Contributors

Preface

Contents of Volume I

Part I. Differentiation

1. Developmental Biology of Slime Molds—An Overview

I. Introduction

II. Life as a Plasmodium

III. Amoeba-Flagellates

References

2. Sporangia, Spherules, and Microcysts

I. Introduction

II. Sporulation

III. Spore Germination

IV. Spherules

V. Microcysts

References

3. Enzyme and Protein Synthesis during Differentiation of Physarum polycephalum

I. Introduction

II. Enzyme and Protein Synthesis during Spherulation

III. Enzymes during Sporulation

IV. Differential Enzyme Expression and Regulation during the Transition from Amoebae to Plasmodia

V. Conclusions and Outlook

References

4. Myxamoebae: Structure and Physiology

I. Introduction

II. General Cell Structure

III. Myxamoeboid Cell Division

IV. Biochemistry of Myxamoebae

V. Motility

VI. Summary

References

Part II. Selected Metabolic Topics

5. General Metabolism

I. Carbohydrate Metabolism—Pathways

II. Mitochondrial Respiration

III. Nitrogen Metabolism

IV. Cyclic Nucleotides

V. Lipids

VI. Polymers

VII. Conclusions

References

6. Nucleotide Metabolism in Physarum polycephalum

I. Formation of Nucleotides

II. Metabolism of Nucleotides and Nucleosides

III. Levels of Nucleoside Triphosphates during the Division Cycle of Surface Plasmodia

IV. Areas of Interest for Future Research

References

7. Radiation Biology of the Myxomycetes

I. Introduction

II. Physiological Responses to Radiation (Plasmodia)

III. Lethal Effects of Radiation

IV. Cell Cycle Studies

V. Mutagenesis with Ultraviolet Light

VI. Concluding Remarks

References

Part III. Basic Experimental Techniques

8. Preparation of Spherules

I. Materials

II. Procedures

III. Tips and Modifications

References

9. Low-Temperature Preservation of Amoebae

I. Procedure

II. Further Comments

References

10. MNNG Mutagenesis and Some Technical Approaches to Mutant Isolation in Physarum

I. Introduction

II. Notes on Handling MNNG

III. Alternative Approaches to MNNG Mutagenesis

IV. Mutant Isolation following Mutagenesis

References

11. EMS Mutagenesis of Amoebae of Physarum polycephalum

I. Introduction

II. Method

III. Results

References

12. Electron Microscopy Techniques

I. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)

II. Freeze Fracture

III. Nuclei

IV. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

References

13. Time-Lapse Analysis of Mitosis in Vivo in Macrosplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum

I. Introduction

II. Materials

III. Procedure

References

14. Illustrated Guide to Phase-Contrast Microscopy of Nuclear Events during Mitosis and Meiosis

I. Introduction

II. Nuclear Isolation

III. Phase-Contrast Microscopy of Swelled Nuclei

IV. Fluorescence Microscopy

V. Preparation of Spores for Phase-Contrast Light Microscopy

References

15. Recognition of Mitosis

Text

References

16. Feulgen Staining

I. Introduction

II. Reagents

III. Reagent Formulas

IV. Fixation

V. Staining

VI. Standards

VII. Sample Data

References

17. Preparation of Nuclei and Nucleoli

I. Nuclei

II. Nucleoli

References

18. Preparation of Ribosomes and Polyribosomes from Physarum polycephalum

I. Introduction

II. Reagents, Equipment, General Procedures, and Precautions

III. Detailed Protocol

IV. Analysis of Results

V. Comparative Considerations

References

19. Preparation of Ribosomal DNA

I. Introduction

II. Equipment and Reagents

III. Procedure

IV. Specificity and Limitations

V. Trouble Shooting

References

20. Preparation of Ribonucleic Acid from Physarum polycephalum

I. Introduction

II. Itemization of Special Reagents

III. Methods

References

21. Isolation of Histones

I. Materials

II. Procedure

III. Tips and Modifications

References

22. Preparation and Characterization of Plasmodial Polysaccharides

I. Preparation of Extracellular Polysaccharide (Galactan)

II. Preparation of Nuclear Polysaccharide (Galactan)

III. Preparation of Spherule Wall Polysaccharide (α-D-Galactosaminoglycan)

IV. General Analytical Methods

V. Methylation of Polysaccharides

VI. Results

References

23. Preparation of Myosin from Physarum polycephalum

I. Principles

II. Method 1

III. Method 2

References

24. Preparation of Actin and Fragmin

I. Actin

II. Fragmin

References

25. Composition of a Plasmodium

Text

References

26. Annotated Diagram of Selected Life Cycle Events

I. Introduction

II. Summary of Life Cycles

III. Selected Features of the Life Cycle

IV. Conclusion

References

27. Annotated Cell Cycle

I. Introduction

II. Definition—The Transition Point

References

28. Culture Methods

I. Introduction

II. Crude Culture

III. Monoxenic Culture

IV. Axenic Culture

V. Special Methods for Large-Scale Growth of Plasmodia

References

Index