The Biology of Amoeba

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.

Contenu

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. ß-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. Com…