
Cell Biology of Physarum and Didymium V1
Organisms, Nucleus, and Cell Cycle
- 1st Edition - January 28, 1982
- Imprint: Academic Press
- Editor: Henery Aldrich
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 4 1 4 6 4 0 - 2
- 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

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Request a sales quoteCell 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
- Edition: 1
- Published: January 28, 1982
- No. of pages (eBook): 458
- Imprint: Academic Press
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN: 9780124146402
- eBook ISBN: 9780323149594