Cell Biology of Physarum and Didymium V1

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.

Contenu

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