The sta-1 mutation prevents assembly of starch granules in nitrogen-starved cells and serves as a useful morphological marker during sexual reproduction in Chlamydomonas monoica (Chlorophyceae)

Wayne Rickoll, David Rehkopf, Catherine Dunn, Amy Malmberg, Karen VanWinkle-Swift

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Iodine staining of clones of nitrogen-starved Chlamydomonas cells was used to screen for mutants with altered levels or altered composition of storage starch. Mutations leading to defects in quantity or morphology of starch granules not only can provide information on storage starch biosynthesis and granule assembly but can also be used as morphological markers in genetic and cell biological studies. A mutant of Chlamydomonas monoica Strehlow devoid of starch granules was obtained following ultraviolet mutagenesis. Nitrogen-starved cells of the sta-1 strain lacked pyrenoidal starch granules and granules normally associated with thylakoid membranes. The mutant phenotype was the consequence of a single Mendelian mutation that appeared to affect granule assembly rather than starch biosynthesis per se and that had no effect on vegetative growth, sexual reproduction, or zygospore viability.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)147-151
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Phycology
Volume34
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1998

Keywords

  • Chlamydomonas monoica
  • Nitrogen starvation
  • Starch biosynthesis
  • Starch granule

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Aquatic Science
  • Plant Science

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