ChLamyTeach.info
Title
Index
Description
Chlamydomonas is a large genus of the Chlorophyte division of algal protists. Over 600 species have been identified. Chlamydomonas ( Chlamy for short) has a world wide distribution and species have been isolated from not simply from freshwater and soils, but marine environments and even snow. Chlamydomonas sp . are unicellular ( approximately 10µ) , haploid, motile, phototactic, algal protists. In mitotic growth the cells double as fast as every eight hours and are cheap and easy to maintain, though sterile technique is important. Under periods of stress, such as nitrogen starvation, Chlamydomonas cells differentiate into isogametes. Two distinct mating types, designated mt+ and mt- , exist. These fuse sexually, thereby generating a thick-walled zygote and, after several days the diploid zygotic nucleus divides meiotically. The products can be separated, allowing tetrad analysis, or mass scored by respreading onto fresh plates. Chlamydomonas has a wide range of mutants available, especially in photosynthesis and motility. Because of these features, Chlamydomonas has been an important experimental models in genetics, cell and molecular biology, and plant physiology and is used in over a 1000 research laboratories world-wide. While t he genus Chlamydomonas contains several species that have become popular as research tools, by far the most frequently used is Chlamydomonas reinhardtii . Unless specifically stated otherwise, all of the information on this site deals with C. reinhardtii .
Chlamydomonas can be grown photosynthetically, or it can dispense with photosynthesis if provided a suitable carbon source, usually acetate. The growth medium is cheap, consisting of simple salts, and there are several types of growth media used, for different conditions. While a dedicated, temperature-controlled space is ideal, Chlamy can be readily grown at room temperature under standard fluorescent lights. For long-term growth cells are usually streaked onto 1.5% agar plates, while short-term growth for most experiments is in liquid, usually with moderate shakin or bubbling.. The cells can be synchronized by placing them on a light-dark cycle and depriving them of acetate.
Chlamy cultures are easy to acquire. A number of biological supply companies maintain stocks of both mating type cells for C. reinhardtii , . Moreover, several algal culture centers around the country offer various Chlamy species and mutants. The best known collection is the Chlamydomonas Genetics Center. The director of the center, Elizabeth Harris, has written a helpful and comprehensive text on the organism, though it is now out of print.
Contact
- Biology Dept
-
- Willimantic CT
- United States 06226
-
- +1.8604655305
