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Fertilization‐induced Chemotaxis in the Zygotes of the Watermold Allomyces
Author(s) -
Machlis Leonard
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1969.tb07391.x
Subject(s) - zygote , biology , amino acid , zoospore , proline , human fertilization , chemotaxis , mycetozoa , leucine , biochemistry , botany , stereochemistry , genetics , chemistry , dictyostelium discoideum , receptor , embryogenesis , spore , gene
Zygotes obtained by self‐fertilization of Allomyces macrogynus , strain Burma 3 and of A. arbuscula , strain Ceylon 1, behave chemotactically as do their respective zoospores. All the swarmers respond to an equimolar mixture of L‐leucine and L‐lysine with the response enhanced by the addition of L‐Proline. The A. arbuscula swarmers also respond moderately to a mixture of L‐proline with certain amino acids other than leucine and lysine whereas those of A. macrogynus do not. The gametes are not chemotactically responsive to the amino acids. Within no more than five minutes subsequent to fertilization, the zygotes become chemotactically active. The genetically‐derived, approximately 95 % male or female isolates do not appear to form zygotes when crossed. The few zygotes observed in a series of attempted crosses appear to be the result of selfing by the contaminating opposite sex in each of the highly unisexual strains.