The Biology of Amoeba

1st Edition - January 28, 1973
Editor: Kwang Jeon
Language: English
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 1 4 4 0 4 - 9

The Biology of Amoeba discusses the general biology, morphology, movement and related phenomena, and biochemical and physiological studies of amoeba. This book is organized into… Read more

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The Biology of Amoeba discusses the general biology, morphology, movement and related phenomena, and biochemical and physiological studies of amoeba. This book is organized into five parts, encompassing 21 chapters that primarily focus on large free-living amoeba. After briefly discussing the highlights of studies involving amoeba, the book goes on describing the biological aspects of amoeba, including its taxonomy, phylogeny, culture, and maintaining methods. The second part describes the general morphology, ultrastructure, and cellular membrane of amoeba. The third part includes discussions on the movement of Chaos-Amoeba group; the amoeboid behavioral and motile responses; the molecular mechanism of amoeboid movement and cytoplasmic streaming; and the mechanism of endocytosis in the freshwater amoeba. Part 4 covers the effects of various groups of mutagens, antibiotics, radiation, and high pressure on phenotype change and cell activities of amoeba. The concluding part deals with the isolation and purification of amoeba's nucleic acids, as well as physical and chemical characterizations of these compounds. This part also describes the characteristics of structural features of amoeba's cell surface and the chemistry of tripartite surface. Discussions on cell cycle, nucleocytoplasmic interactions, nuclear-nuclear interactions, genetics, and strain specificity in amoeba are also covered. The book is intended as a comprehensive literature source for students in cell biology as well as for those who are using amoeba as research organisms.

List of Contributors

Foreword

Preface

Part I. General Biology

Chapter 1. Some Historical Aspects of Amoeba Studies

I. Introduction

II. From Observation to Experimentation

III. The Role of the Interphase Nucleus in Cell Behavior

IV. Concluding Remarks

References

Chapter 2. Taxonomy and Phylogeny

I. Introductory Remarks

II. Problems in Taxonomy and Phylogeny

III. Gross Morphological Distinction of Amoebae

IV. Taxonomic Schemes for Higher Sarcodine Taxa

V. Taxonomic Groupings of Lobose Amoebae

VI. Fine Structure and Taxonomic Distinction

VII. Ecological Bases for Distinction

VIII. Physiological Differences

IX. Biochemical Differences

X. Mutants

XI. Hybrids

XII. A Taxonomic Summary of Data

XIII. Phylogeny of Large Free-Living Amoebae

References

Chapter 3. Culture: Maintenance, Large Yields, and Problems of Approaching Axenic Culture

I. Introduction

II. Culture Methods

III. Discussion

IV. Concluding Remarks

References

Part II. Morphology

Chapter 4. General Morphology

I. Introduction

II. Morphology of Representative Amoebae

III. Other Large Freshwater Amoebae

References

Chapter 5. Ultrastructure

I. Introduction

II. Pelomyxa palustris Greeff

III. Pelomyxa carolinensis Wilson

IV. Pelomyxa illinoisensis Kudo

V. Amoeba proteus (Pallas)

References

Chapter 6. Cellular Membranes of Amoebae

I. Introduction

II. Fine Structure, Cytochemistry, and Functions

III. Variations with Physiological State

IV. Origins and Relationships of Membranous Organelles

V. Concluding Remarks

References

Part III. Movement and Related Phenomena

Chapter 7. Biophysical Aspects of Pseudopodium Formation and Retraction

I. Introduction

II. Characteristics of Lobopodial Amoebae

III. Pseudopodia and Cytoplasmic Streaming

IV. Streaming in Isolated Cytoplasm

V. Models, Hypotheses, and Theories of Amoeboid Movement

VI. Concluding Remarks

References

Chapter 8. Locomotion and Behavior

I. Introduction

II. The Physicochemical Mechanism of Amoeboid Motion

III. Nonlocomotive Movements

IV. Responses of Amoebae to Stimuli

V. Interactions of Stimuli

VI. Role of Cell Surface in Behavior

VII. Nuclear Control of Amoeboid Movement and Behavior

VIII. Summary

References

Chapter 9. Progress in Understanding Amoeboid Movement at the Molecular Level

I. Introduction

II. The Mechanism of Force Generation

III. The Mechanism Controlling Amoeboid Movement

IV. The Mechanism for Maintaining Regional Variations in Consistency within the Cell

V. Concluding Remarks

References

Chapter 10. Endocytic Processes

I. Introduction

II. The Morphology of Endocytosis

III. The Physiology of Endocytosis

IV. Enzymes in Relation to Endocytosis

V. Factors Affecting the Rate of Endocytosis

VI. Concluding Remarks

References

Part IV. Effect of Chemical and Physical Agents

Chapter 11. Chemical Mutagenesis

I. Introduction

II. Classification of Changes Observed in Amoebae

III. Mutagens

IV. Mutant Strains of A. proteus Induced by Methyl Nitrosourethane

V. Studies on the Initial Damage by N-Methyl-TV-nitrosourethane (MNU) Correlated with Cell Cycle Activity

VI. Induction of Mutations

VII. Conclusion

References

Chapter 12. The Response of Amoebae to Antibiotics

I. Introduction

II. Methods of Assay

III. Antibiotics with Known Sites of Action

IV. Inhibitors with Less Well-Known Sites of Action

V. Concluding Remarks

References

Chapter 13. Radiation Studies

I. Introduction

II. Ionizing Radiations

III. Ultraviolet Radiation

IV. β-Irradiation of Amoeba DNA

V. The Repair of Damage from Radiations

VI. Conclusion

References

Chapter 14. High-Pressure Studies on Amoeba

I. Introduction

II. Morphological Studies

III. Physiological Studies

IV. Chemical Studies

V. Concluding Remarks

References

Part V. Biochemical and Physiological Studies

Chapter 15. Nucleic Acids of Amoebae

I. Introduction

II. Isolation of the Nucleic Acids

III. Analysis of the Nucleic Acids

IV. Conclusions

References

Chapter 16. The Chemistry of Amoeba Surface

I. Introduction

II. Methods of Analysis

III. Analysis by Light Microscopy

IV. Analysis by Electron Microscopy

V. Chemical Analysis of Subcellular Fractions

VI. Epilogue

References

Chapter 17. The Cell Cycle in Amoebae

I. Introduction

II. The Subsections of the Cell Cycle

III. Attempts to Induce a G1 Period in A. proteus

IV. How Is the Cell Cycle Arrested when Amoebae Cease Proliferation?

V. Nucleocytoplasmic Interactions in the Control of DNA Synthesis

VI. Some Observations on the G2 Period

VII. Concluding Remarks

References

Chapter 18. Nucleocytoplasmic Interactions in Amoebae

I. Introduction

II. Nucleocytoplasmic Interactions in Cell Heredity

III. Nucleocytoplasmic Interactions in the Control of RNA Synthesis

IV. Nucleocytoplasmic Interactions in the Control of Protein Synthesis

V. Nucleocytoplasmic Interactions in the Control of DNA Synthesis and the Cell Growth Cycle

VI. The Interdependence of Nucleus and Cytoplasm

VII. The Movement of Macromolecules between Nucleus and Cytoplasm

VIII. Nucleocytoplasmic Interactions in Ameboid Movement

IX. Conclusion

References

Chapter 19. Nuclear-Nuclear Interactions in Heterokaryons

I. Introduction

II. Methods of Obtaining Heterokaryons and Types of Possible Heterokaryons

III. Nuclear-Nuclear Interactions in Nonviable Heterokaryons

IV. Nuclear-Nuclear Interactions in the Determination of the Heterokaryon Phenotype

V. Genetic Nuclear-Nuclear Interactions in Heterokaryons

VI. Concluding Remarks

References

Chapter 20. Genetic Information in the Cytoplasm of Amoebae

I. Early Experiments

II. Selection of Reliable Characters

III. Transfer of Information by Injection of Cytoplasm

IV. Nature of the Molecules Involved—DNA versus RNA

V, Discussion

References

Chapter 21. Strain Specificity in Amoeba proteus

I. Introduction

II. Amoebae

III. Strain-Specific Phenotypic Characters

IV. Compatibility at the Subcellular Level

V. Variations in Phenotypic Characters

VI. Concluding Remarks

References

Appendix

I. Selected References to Methods Used in Amoeba Studies

II. Some Statistics on Amoebae

References

Author Index

Subject Index