Abstract

Cell 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.