Protistology 6 (2) 79–84 (2009) |
Chemotaxis of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to nitrate is changed during gametogenesis |
Elena V. Ermilova, Zhanneta M. Zalutskaya and Tatyana V. Lapina Laboratory of Adaptation in Microorganisms, Biological Research Institute of St. Petersburg State University, Russia Summary During sexual differentiation Chlamydomonas reinhardtii changes its chemotactic behavior to nitrate. Unlike vegetative cells and noncompetent pregametes, mature gametes did not show chemotaxis to nitrate. Loss of chemotaxis to nitrate in mating-competent cells is controlled by gamete-specific genes that are common for both mating-type gametes. Just like gamete formation, the change in chemotaxis mode is controlled by the sequential action of two environmental cues, removal of nitrogen from the medium and light. The sharing of photoreceptor and signal transduction components as well as similar temporal patterns observed for changes in chemotaxis towards nitrate and ammonium suggest an integration of the signaling pathways that control chemotactic responses during the sexual life cycle. Key words: Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, chemotaxis, sexual differentiation Address for correspondence. Elena V. Ermilova. Laboratory of Adaptation in Microorganisms, Biological Research Institute of St. Petersburg State University, Oranienbaumskoe schosse 2, Stary Peterhof, St. Petersburg, 198504 Russia, e-mail: ermilova@EE6439.spb.edu |
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