Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T14:11:39.205Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Selfing mutants from heterothallic strains of Physarum polycephalum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 April 2009

N. K. Honey
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
R. T. M. Poulter
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
P. J. Winter
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Plasmodial formation in the myxomycete Physarum polycephalum is controlled by a mating type (mt) locus, with heterothallic amoebae normally being unable to form plasmodia in pure clones. We report the isolation by mutagenesis of selfing mutants from heterothallic strains, and their analysis. Various amoebal strains of different mating types were mutagenized with a range of mutagens, and a number of selfing mutants (designated Het) were isolated. A specific sensitivity of mt2 amoebae to mutagenesis by NMG was observed. This sensitivity segregated as a single locus closely linked or allelic to the mt2 locus. When the Het clones were incubated at 30 °C, selfing was greatly inhibited. This property was used to determine the mt specificities of four Het clones. The process of plasmodial induction in pure clones of CL was also studied using the 30 °C temperature effect.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

References

REFERENCES

Adler, P. N. & Holt, E. C. (1974). Genetic analysis in the Colonia strain of Physarum polycephalum: heterothallic strains that mate with and are partially isogenic to the Colonia strain. Genetics 78, 10511062.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Adler, P. N. & Holt, C. E. (1975). Mating type and the differentiated state in Physarum polycephalum. Developmental Biology 43, 240253.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Adler, P. N. & Holt, C. E. (1977). Mutations increasing asexual plasmodium formation in Physarum polycephalum. Genetics 87, 401420.Google Scholar
Anderson, R. W., Cooke, D. J. & Dee, J. (1976). Apogamic development of plasmodia in the Myrxomycete Physarum polycephalum: a cinematographic analysis. Protoplasma 89, 2940.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Anderson, R. W. & Dee, J. (1977). Isolation and analysis of amoebal-plasmodial transition mutants in the Myxomycete Physarum polycephalum. Genetical Research 29, 2134.Google Scholar
Cooke, D. J. & Dee, J. (1974). Plasmodium formation without change in nuclear DNA content in Physarum polycephalum. Genetical Research 23, 307317.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cooke, D. J. & Dee, J. (1975). Methods for the isolation and analysis of plasmodial mutants in Physarum polycephalum. Genetical Research 24, 175187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davidow, L. S. & Holt, C. E. (1977). Mutants with decreased differentiation to plasmodia in Physarum polycephalum. Molecular and General Genetics 155, 291300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dee, J. (1966). Multiple alleles and other factors affecting plasmodium formation in the true slime mould, Physarum polycephalum Schw. Journal of Protozoology 13, 610616.Google Scholar
Dee, J. (1973). Aims and techniques of genetic analysis in Physarum polycephalum. Berichte der deutschen botanischen Gesellschaft 86, 93121.Google Scholar
Gorman, J. A., Dove, W. F. & Shaibe, E. (1979). Mutations affecting the initiation of plasmodial development in Physarum polycephalum. Developmental Genetics 1, 4760.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gray, W. D. & Alexopoulos, C. J. (1968). Biology of Myxomycetes. New York: Ronald Press.Google Scholar
Honey, N. K., Poulter, R. T. M. & Teale, D. M. (1979). Genetic regulation of differentiation in Physarum polycephalum. Genetical Research 34, 131142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mohberg, J. (1977). Nuclear DNA content and chromosome numbers throughout the life cycle of the Colonia strain of the Myxomycete, Physarum polycephalum. Journal of Cell Science 24, 95108.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Poulter, R. T. M. & Honey, N. K. (1977). Genetic analysis of a cross between two homothallic strains of Physarum polycephalum. Genetical Research 29, 5563.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Poulter, R. T. M., Honey, N. K. & Teale, D. M. (1977). The role of the self-sterile mating locus in the repressor-regulated control of differentiation of Physarum polycephalum. Abstract. Heredity 39, 185.Google Scholar
Wheals, A. E. (1970). A homothallic strain of the Myxomycete Physarum polycephalum. Genetics 66, 623633.Google Scholar
Wheals, A. E. (1973). Developmental mutants in a homothallic strain of Physarum polycephalum. Genetical Research 21, 7986.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Youngman, P. J., Adler, P. N., Shinnick, T. M. & Holt, C. E. (1977). An extracellular inducer of asexual plasmodium formation in Physarum polycephalum. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 74, 11201124.Google Scholar