MULTIPLE ALLELISM AT THE MATB LOCUS IN PHYSARUM POLYCEPHALUM

1981 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josée Kirouac-Brunet ◽  
Sylvie Masson ◽  
Dominick Pallotta

Each of the natural plasmodial isolates of Physarum polycephalum studied contains two different alleles for the matB and the matA loci. This result is further evidence for the presence of a two-locus system for limiting inbreeding in nature. Only amoebae carrying different matB alleles will fuse efficiently and only those diploid amoebae heterozygous for the matA locus will differentiate with a high frequency. Both the matA and matB loci are multiallelic. In this work ten new mat B alleles were found, bringing to 13 the number of known alleles; there are a minimum of 13 alleles at the matA locus (Collins and Tang, 1977). The presence of a large number of alleles at each of these loci increases the probability that in nature amoebae from different plasmodia are sexually compatible.

Genetics ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 133 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-224
Author(s):  
S Kawano ◽  
H Takano ◽  
J Imai ◽  
K Mori ◽  
T Kurioiwa

Abstract We have identified two distinct mitochondrial phenotypes, namely, Mif+ (mitochondrial fusion) and Mif- (mitochondrial fusion-deficient), and have studied the genetic system that controls mitochondrial fusion in the slime mould, Physarum polycephalum. A mitochondrial plasmid of approximately 16 kbp was identified in all Mif+ plasmodial strains. This plasmid is apparently responsible for promoting mitochondrial fusion, and it is inserted into the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in successive sexual crossing with Mif- strains. This recombinant mtDNA and the unchanged free plasmid spread through the mitochondrial population via the promotion of mitochondrial fusion. The Mif+ strains with the plasmid were further classified as being two types: high frequency and low frequency mitochondrial fusion. Restriction analysis of the mtDNA suggested that the high frequency mitochondrial fusion type was more often heteroplasmic; within each plasmodium, mtDNAs of both parental types were usually present, in addition to the presence of the plasmid. Genetic analysis with the progeny obtained from crossing myxamoebae derived from three different isolates suggested that these progeny carried different alleles at a nuclear locus that controlled the frequency of mitochondrial fusion. These alleles (mitochondrial mating-type alleles, mitA1, 2 and 3) appear to function like the mating type of the myxamoebae; mitochondrial fusion occurs at high frequency with the combination of unlike alleles, but at low frequency with the combination of like alleles.


1964 ◽  
Vol 42 (11) ◽  
pp. 1459-1466 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. Mukherjee ◽  
George G. Zabka

Heterothallism in three physiological races of Didymium iridis collected from Honduras (Mexico), Hawaii, and Australia are reported. Pure clone matings of these races are found to be governed by multiple alleles of incompatibility factors, heterozygosity of which leads to zygote formation. Two of these races behave identically in their mating reactions although their plasmodia are non-fusable. Existence of a two-locus system with linkage of parental alleles is suggested to explain the mating behavior of the pure clones handled and the absence of tetrapolarity. Because of aging and artificial culture, intraracial sterility develops in the pure clones. These clones retain their interracial fertility. Sporadic Plasmodia occasionally form in some of the pure clones probably because of a localized mutation. Zygote formation with the mutated cell apparently leaves the remaining clone population uncontaminated.


Author(s):  
Ulrich Dierkes

Calcium is supposed to play an important role in the control of protoplasmic streaming in slime mold plasmodia. The motive force for protoplasmic streaming is generated by the interaction of actin and myosin. This contraction is supposed to be controlled by intracellular Ca-fluxes similar to the triggering system in skeleton muscle. The histochemical localisation of calcium however is problematic because of the possible diffusion artifacts especially in aquous media.To evaluate this problem calcium localisation was studied in small pieces of shock frozen (liquid propane at -189°C) plasmodial strands of Physarum polycephalum, which were further processed with 3 different methods: 1) freeze substitution in ethanol at -75°C, staining in 100% ethanol with 1% uranyl acetate, and embedding in styrene-methacrylate. For comparison the staining procedure was omitted in some preparations. 2)Freeze drying at about -95°C, followed by immersion with 100% ethanol containing 1% uranyl acetate, and embedding. 3) Freeze fracture, carbon coating and SEM investigation at temperatures below -100° C.


Author(s):  
W. E. Lee ◽  
A. H. Heuer

IntroductionTraditional steatite ceramics, made by firing (vitrifying) hydrous magnesium silicate, have long been used as insulators for high frequency applications due to their excellent mechanical and electrical properties. Early x-ray and optical analysis of steatites showed that they were composed largely of protoenstatite (MgSiO3) in a glassy matrix. Recent studies of enstatite-containing glass ceramics have revived interest in the polymorphism of enstatite. Three polymorphs exist, two with orthorhombic and one with monoclinic symmetry (ortho, proto and clino enstatite, respectively). Steatite ceramics are of particular interest a they contain the normally unstable high-temperature polymorph, protoenstatite.Experimental3mm diameter discs cut from steatite rods (∼10” long and 0.5” dia.) were ground, polished, dimpled, and ion-thinned to electron transparency using 6KV Argon ions at a beam current of 1 x 10-3 A and a 12° angle of incidence. The discs were coated with carbon prior to TEM examination to minimize charging effects.


Author(s):  
G. Y. Fan ◽  
J. M. Cowley

It is well known that the structure information on the specimen is not always faithfully transferred through the electron microscope. Firstly, the spatial frequency spectrum is modulated by the transfer function (TF) at the focal plane. Secondly, the spectrum suffers high frequency cut-off by the aperture (or effectively damping terms such as chromatic aberration). While these do not have essential effect on imaging crystal periodicity as long as the low order Bragg spots are inside the aperture, although the contrast may be reversed, they may change the appearance of images of amorphous materials completely. Because the spectrum of amorphous materials is continuous, modulation of it emphasizes some components while weakening others. Especially the cut-off of high frequency components, which contribute to amorphous image just as strongly as low frequency components can have a fundamental effect. This can be illustrated through computer simulation. Imaging of a whitenoise object with an electron microscope without TF limitation gives Fig. 1a, which is obtained by Fourier transformation of a constant amplitude combined with random phases generated by computer.


Author(s):  
M. T. Postek ◽  
A. E. Vladar

Fully automated or semi-automated scanning electron microscopes (SEM) are now commonly used in semiconductor production and other forms of manufacturing. The industry requires that an automated instrument must be routinely capable of 5 nm resolution (or better) at 1.0 kV accelerating voltage for the measurement of nominal 0.25-0.35 micrometer semiconductor critical dimensions. Testing and proving that the instrument is performing at this level on a day-by-day basis is an industry need and concern which has been the object of a study at NIST and the fundamentals and results are discussed in this paper.In scanning electron microscopy, two of the most important instrument parameters are the size and shape of the primary electron beam and any image taken in a scanning electron microscope is the result of the sample and electron probe interaction. The low frequency changes in the video signal, collected from the sample, contains information about the larger features and the high frequency changes carry information of finer details. The sharper the image, the larger the number of high frequency components making up that image. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analysis of an SEM image can be employed to provide qualitiative and ultimately quantitative information regarding the SEM image quality.


Author(s):  
Randolph W. Taylor ◽  
Henrie Treadwell

The plasma membrane of the Slime Mold, Physarum polycephalum, process unique morphological distinctions at different stages of the life cycle. Investigations of the plasma membrane of P. polycephalum, particularly, the arrangements of the intramembranous particles has provided useful information concerning possible changes occurring in higher organisms. In this report Freeze-fracture-etched techniques were used to investigate 3 hours post-fusion of the macroplasmodia stage of the P. polycephalum plasma membrane.Microplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum (M3C), axenically maintained, were collected in mid-expotential growth phase by centrifugation. Aliquots of microplasmodia were spread in 3 cm circles with a wide mouth pipette onto sterile filter paper which was supported on a wire screen contained in a petri dish. The cells were starved for 2 hrs at 24°C. After starvation, the cells were feed semidefined medium supplemented with hemin and incubated at 24°C. Three hours after incubation, samples were collected randomly from the petri plates, placed in plancettes and frozen with a propane-nitrogen jet freezer.


Author(s):  
K.I. Pagh ◽  
M.R. Adelman

Unicellular amoebae of the slime mold Physarum polycephalum undergo marked changes in cell shape and motility during their conversion into flagellate swimming cells (l). To understand the processes underlying motile activities expressed during the amoebo-flagellate transformation, we have undertaken detailed investigations of the organization, formation and functions of subcellular structures or domains of the cell which are hypothesized to play a role in movement. One focus of our studies is on a structure, termed the “ridge” which appears as a flattened extension of the periphery along the length of transforming cells (Fig. 1). Observations of live cells using Nomarski optics reveal two types of movement in this region:propagation of undulations along the length of the ridge and formation and retraction of filopodial projections from its edge. The differing activities appear to be associated with two characteristic morphologies, illustrated in Fig. 1.


1992 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 52-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail L. MacLean ◽  
Andrew Stuart ◽  
Robert Stenstrom

Differences in real ear sound pressure levels (SPLs) with three portable stereo system (PSS) earphones (supraaural [Sony Model MDR-44], semiaural [Sony Model MDR-A15L], and insert [Sony Model MDR-E225]) were investigated. Twelve adult men served as subjects. Frequency response, high frequency average (HFA) output, peak output, peak output frequency, and overall RMS output for each PSS earphone were obtained with a probe tube microphone system (Fonix 6500 Hearing Aid Test System). Results indicated a significant difference in mean RMS outputs with nonsignificant differences in mean HFA outputs, peak outputs, and peak output frequencies among PSS earphones. Differences in mean overall RMS outputs were attributed to differences in low-frequency effects that were observed among the frequency responses of the three PSS earphones. It is suggested that one cannot assume equivalent real ear SPLs, with equivalent inputs, among different styles of PSS earphones.


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