Open AccessControl of Daughter-Cell Number Variation in Multiple Fission: Genetic versus Environmental Determinants in Prototheca
Author(s) -
Robert O. Poyton,
Daniel Branton
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.69.8.2346
Subject(s) - cytokinesis , cell division , daughter , fission , biology , genetics , population , division (mathematics) , cell , microbiology and biotechnology , evolutionary biology , mathematics , physics , quantum mechanics , neutron , demography , arithmetic , sociology
Prototheca zopfii has been developed as an experimental system for studying the control of cytokinesis and daughter-cell number variation in multiple fission. Although mean daughter-cell number increases linearly with growth rate, and this dependency is genetically controlled, pedigree analysis shows that daughter-cell numbervariation is not under direct genetic control. In a population growing in steady-state balanced growth, each cell has a given probability of dividing into 2, 4, 8 16, or 32 daughter-cells. These probabilities are independent of the division number of the cell in the preceding generation, and can be altered by changes in the culture medium.