Polysphondylium pallidum: Difference between revisions
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==Description and Significance== | ==Description and Significance== | ||
Polysphondylium pallidum was first described by Edgar W. Olive in 1901 as growing on the dung of a donkey, muskrat, and rabbit in Liberia (2,4). | ''Polysphondylium pallidum'' was first described by Edgar W. Olive in 1901 as growing on the dung of a donkey, muskrat, and rabbit in Liberia (2,4). | ||
Polysphondylium pallidum is a cellular slime mold of the phylum Mycetozoa. It begins its life as a single-celled amoeboid protist and lives in feces, soil, and other organic matter (1). Like other cellular slime molds, P. pallidum can reproduce both sexually and asexually depending on its environmental conditions (1) and has two distinct stages of its life cycle: a vegetative non-social stage and an aggregate phase which is cued by starvation (5). | ''Polysphondylium pallidum'' is a cellular slime mold of the phylum Mycetozoa. It begins its life as a single-celled amoeboid protist and lives in feces, soil, and other organic matter (1). Like other cellular slime molds, ''P. pallidum'' can reproduce both sexually and asexually depending on its environmental conditions (1) and has two distinct stages of its life cycle: a vegetative non-social stage and an aggregate phase which is cued by starvation (5). | ||
Biologists have been particularly interested in cellular slime molds because their asexual cycles model cell differentiation in eukaryotes (2,3). With their simple and easy-to-manipulate systems, cellular slime molds provide insight into the formation of multicellular organisms (2). P. pallidum in particular has been used a variety of experiments because of its high levels of germination compared to other sexually reproducing slime molds, making it useful for studies of transmission patterns (3). | Biologists have been particularly interested in cellular slime molds because their asexual cycles model cell differentiation in eukaryotes (2,3). With their simple and easy-to-manipulate systems, cellular slime molds provide insight into the formation of multicellular organisms (2). ''P. pallidum'' in particular has been used a variety of experiments because of its high levels of germination compared to other sexually reproducing slime molds, making it useful for studies of transmission patterns (3). | ||
==Genome Structure== | ==Genome Structure== |
Revision as of 01:51, 25 April 2017
Classification
Domain; Phylum; Class; Order; family [Others may be used. Use NCBI link to find]
Species
NCBI: Taxonomy |
Genus species
Description and Significance
Polysphondylium pallidum was first described by Edgar W. Olive in 1901 as growing on the dung of a donkey, muskrat, and rabbit in Liberia (2,4).
Polysphondylium pallidum is a cellular slime mold of the phylum Mycetozoa. It begins its life as a single-celled amoeboid protist and lives in feces, soil, and other organic matter (1). Like other cellular slime molds, P. pallidum can reproduce both sexually and asexually depending on its environmental conditions (1) and has two distinct stages of its life cycle: a vegetative non-social stage and an aggregate phase which is cued by starvation (5).
Biologists have been particularly interested in cellular slime molds because their asexual cycles model cell differentiation in eukaryotes (2,3). With their simple and easy-to-manipulate systems, cellular slime molds provide insight into the formation of multicellular organisms (2). P. pallidum in particular has been used a variety of experiments because of its high levels of germination compared to other sexually reproducing slime molds, making it useful for studies of transmission patterns (3).
Genome Structure
Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence?
Cell Structure, Metabolism and Life Cycle
Interesting features of cell structure; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.
Ecology and Pathogenesis
Habitat; symbiosis; biogeochemical significance; contributions to environment.
If relevant, how does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.
References
Author
Page authored by Benjamin Braude and Alexandra Canzoneri, students of Prof. Jay Lennon at Indiana University.