The Molecular Biology Of Physarum Polycephalum (nato Science Series A:)

One landmark in the long history of biological studies on the "slime mold" Physarum polycephalum was the introduction of chemi­ cally defined growth conditions for the plasmodial phase of this organism in the laboratory of Harold P. Rusch in Wisconsin in the 1950s. A number of investigators began working with Physarum in that era, then dispersed over the world. In the 1950s to 1960s, the regular meetings of Physarum workers in North America were commonly held in Wisconsin. Strong new scientific initiatives in Physarum have grown up independently, from the disciplines of genetics, cytology, photo­ biology, and biophysics, in countries scattered over the world from Japan to Poland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey, and Great Britain. Infusion of the technical power of contemporary molecular biology--in particular, gene cloning and monoclonal antibodies--has brought these dispersed investigators into mutual communication. It was therefore timely and appropriate to assemble the Physarum community again in Wisconsin after a hiatus of 20 years, at a conference in the Friedrick Conference Center at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, from July 8 to 13, 1985. Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction to Physarum ....Pages 1-17 Genetic Analysis in Physarum polycephalum ....Pages 19-38 Molecular Organization of the Physarum Genome....Pages 39-66 Temporal Order of Replication and Gene Expression in Physarum polycephalum ....Pages 67-77 The Physarum Physarum Cell Cycle....Pages 79-109 Cellular Transformations of Myxamoebae....Pages 111-130 Gene Expression During Plasmodial Differentiation....Pages 131-150 Biological Aspects of Motility....Pages 151-163 Actin, Myosin, and the Associated-Proteins from the Physarum Plasmodium....Pages 165-174 Inhibitory Ca 2+ -Regulation of the Physarum Actomyosin System....Pages 175-190 Physarum Myosin Binds Ca 2+ : Results From Electrophoresis and Equilibrium Dialysis Experiments....Pages 191-198 Kinetics of Modulator-Act in Interactions: A Comparison of Physarum Fragmin with Actin Modulators from Different Muscle Types....Pages 199-206 A Nonpolymerizable Actin Derivative Regulates Actin Polymerization by Capping the Fast-Growing End of Actin Filaments....Pages 207-215 Dynamics and Function of Microfilaments in Physarum polycephalum as Revealed by Fluorescent Analog Cytochemistry (FAC) and Electron Microscopy....Pages 217-224 A Titin-Like Protein is Present in Physarum polycephalum — Present Knowledge....Pages 225-236 Isolation of a Native Connectin-Like Protein from the Plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum and its Interaction with Myosin and Actin....Pages 237-241 To Bring Molecular Genetics to the Study of Biological Motility in Physarum ....Pages 243-251 The Culture of Physarum Amoebae in Axenic Media....Pages 253-269 A New Method for the Preparation of Highly Purified and More Native Nuclei Showing Stage-Specific Transcription of Actin and Tubulin Genes....Pages 271-280 Incorporation of Substances into Living Cells....Pages 281-286 Protocol for Microinjection of Macroplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum ....Pages 287-289 Gene Cloning and Construction of Genomic Libraries in Physarum ....Pages 291-300 Gene Cloning and Construction of cDNA Libraries in Physarum ....Pages 301-314 cDNA Cloning Of Physarum polycephalum Stage-Specific mRNAs....Pages 315-327 Toward a DNA Transformation System for Physarum polycephalum ....Pages 329-335 Physarum as an Integrated Experimental Organism....Pages 337-340 Back Matter....Pages 341-368