Premium
CELL DIVISION IN THE DINOFLAGELLATE GAMBIERDISCUS TOXICUS IS PHASED TO THE DIURNAL CYCLE AND ACCOMPANIED BY ACTIVATION OF THE CELL CYCLE REGULATORY PROTEIN, CDC2 KINASE 1
Author(s) -
Dolah Frances M.,
Leighfield Tod A.,
Sandel H. Daniel,
Hsu Chuin Kang
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.0022-3646.1995.00395.x
Subject(s) - biology , cyclin dependent kinase 1 , cell cycle , microbiology and biotechnology , dinoflagellate , cell division , polo like kinase , cell , biochemistry , botany
ABSTRACT The cell division cycle in several pelagic dinoflagellate species has been shown to be phased with the diurnal cycle, suggesting that their cell cycle may be regulated by a circadian clock. In this study, we examined the cell cycle of an epibenthic dinoflagellate , Gambierdiscus toxicus Adachi and Fukuyo (Dinophyceae), and found that cell division was similarly phased to the diurnal cycle. Cell division occurred during a 3‐h window beginning 6 h after the onset of the dark phase. Cell cycle progression in higher eukaryotes is regulated by a cell cycle regulatory protein complex consisting of cyclin and the cyclin‐dependent kinase CDC2. In this report, we identified a CDC2‐like kinase in G. toxicus that displays activity in vitro against a known substrate of CDC2 kinase, histone H1. As in higher eukaryotes, CDC2 kinase was expressed constitutively in G. toxicus throughout the cell cycle, but it was activated only late in the dark phase, concurrent with the presence of mitotic cells. These results indicate that cell division in G. toxicus is regulated by molecular controls similar to those found in higher eukaryotes .