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Spore Germination in the True Slime Mold Didymium nigripes 1
Author(s) -
KERR NORMAN S.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1982.tb04020.x
Subject(s) - germination , spore , spore germination , biology , botany , vacuole , horticulture , cytoplasm , microbiology and biotechnology
The morphology of spore germination in Didymium nigripes was studied using scanning electron microscopy and Nomarski phase optics. First, the outer spore wall splits, revealing a fibrillar inner wall. Remnants of the inner wall continue to cover the newly emerged amoeba. A single nucleus and a prominent vacuole are visible throughout germination. Germination is more rapid in glucose‐peptone‐yeast extract than in phosphate buffer. Germination is completely inhibited at 4°C, and is very slow at 18°C. Germination is most rapid at 26°C; at 21°C or 32°C it is slightly slower. Germination is reversibly inhibited by 20 μ/ml cycloheximide, but not by 200 μ/ml 5‐fluoro uracil or 200 μ/ml proflavin. It is completely inhibited by 10 ‐3 M Na azide.