网柄细胞状黏菌纯化培养基的改进

网柄细胞状黏菌传统的分离培养是在添加细菌的培养基上进行的。选取了9种网柄细胞状黏菌作为研究对象,在不饲喂任何细菌的条件下于3种培养基上进行培养,通过对生长状态的比较,发现燕麦片琼脂培养基对于纯化网柄细胞状黏菌具有较好的效果。     

网柄细胞状黏菌生态学的研究进展

网柄细胞状黏菌(简称网柄菌)是黏菌的第二大类群,对其生态特征的研究有助于深入了解这类生物适宜的生存条件和人类活动的影响。本文回顾了1869年至今的网柄菌生态学研究历史,从地理因素、植被因素、生物因素三个角度,探讨了影响网柄菌物种丰度和多度的生态因素,从而为土壤及凋落物中黏菌的物种多样性保护提供参考。     

基于脂肪酸生物标记的网柄细胞状黏菌分类学研究初探

本文测定和分析6种网柄细胞状黏菌的脂肪酸组分,进行以其作为网柄细胞状黏菌分类特征的探讨。结果表明,脂肪酸组分可将6种网柄菌有效区分,且与形态分类结果较为一致,因此建议将脂肪酸生物标记作为网柄菌分类的依据之一。     

网柄细胞状黏菌的化学成分及药理作用研究进展

文中综述了从网柄细胞状黏菌中分离得到的DIF-1及其衍生物、氯代苯并呋喃、三联苯化合物等芳香族化合物,脂肪酸和磷酸化合物、酶以及糖类等,并介绍了各成分的药理或生理作用等。表明网柄细胞状黏菌可以成为某些活性成分及药物的新来源。     

黏菌的近亲远邻

正人们经常提到的"黏菌"一词,实际上为广义的黏菌,包括网黏菌、内寄生黏菌根肿菌、网柄细胞状黏菌、集胞细胞状黏菌及真黏菌等五大类,除网黏菌被归为茸鞭生物界外,其余均属于原生生物界。这里所谓的真黏菌就是我们所要讲述的黏菌,而其余四种黏菌则是真黏菌的"近亲"了,因它们的形态或多或少有相似之处,故在最初的分类系统中,将它们称为"兄弟姐妹"。     

簇生岐柄菌的超微形态学研究

为揭示网柄细胞状黏菌的超微结构特征,对簇生岐柄菌Cavenderia fasciculata生活史过程中的孢子、黏变形体和柄细胞3种类型的细胞超微结构进行系统观察,并与目前仅知的3种网柄细胞状黏菌的超微结构进行比较。结果表明：簇生岐柄菌C. fasciculata的孢子、黏变形体和柄细胞内均有线粒体结构,随着细胞分化,线粒体内部结构逐渐破坏,并被自噬泡吞噬;孢子表面具有线状纹饰。     

大头网柄菌的个体发育

【背景】网柄细胞状黏菌是生物学、细胞学及发生生物学研究中一类重要的模式生物,至今已报道了百余种,但每个种的个体发育过程不是很明晰。【目的】了解网柄细胞状黏菌的个体发育。【方法】对采自云南苍山的土壤样品进行网柄菌的分离、培养和鉴定,并详细记录其个体发育全阶段特征。在传统形态学方法基础上,对样品进行基因组18S测序,并将获得序列在GenBank注册。通过双凹载玻片及水琼脂培养基添加大肠杆菌的培养方法,显微观察样品的发育过程,包括孢子、黏变形体、集群、假原质团、拔顶、孢堆果的发育特征。【结果】分离得到大头网柄菌Dictyostelium macrocephalum;该种温度适应范围较广,是亚热带和热带的广布种;其完成一个生活循环历时3 d,接种20 h后孢子开始萌发释放黏变形体,第50 h形成集群,第56 h假原质团形成,第58 h孢堆原形成,第71 h孢堆果完全成熟。【结论】研究分离的大头网柄菌为云南省新记录种,增加了其在我国亚热带的新分布区;明确了该种的个体发育过程。     

两种网柄细胞状黏菌挥发性成分

采用固相微萃取气相色谱-质谱联用技术,对紫轮柄菌Polysphondylium violaceum和簇生岐柄菌Cavenderia fasciculata子实体的挥发性成分进行分析,从这两种网柄细胞状黏菌中共鉴定出32种挥发性成分,包括烃、醛、吲哚、萜、酮、酯和酚类化合物。其中,紫轮柄菌P. violaceum的挥发性成分有15种化合物,簇生岐柄菌C. fasciculata的挥发性成分有27种化合物,二者共有化合物11种,部分化合物可用于制作香料等,研究结果为网柄细胞状黏菌的进一步应用提供了理论依据。     

硬基网柄菌Dictyostelium firmibasis生活史的研究

本文研究了网柄细胞状黏菌中国新记录种硬基网柄菌Dictyostelium firmibasis从孢子-黏变形体-细胞集群-假原质团-成熟孢堆果的无性生活循环过程。结果表明：该种细胞状黏菌孢子萌发至少需要8h,孢子萌发释放出具有不规则形状的黏变形体,黏变形体无色并进行不规则的高速运动;黏变形体细胞集群为典型的辐射状;孢堆果对光极为敏感,在成熟发育期微弱的光刺激便会导致子实体生长畸形或停止生长并死亡;从集群开始形成到孢堆果成熟持续约12-14h,完成一个完整的生活史循环约需36-38h。     

河南省网柄细胞状黏菌的研究

从在河南省采集的75份基物中共分离得到14株网柄细胞状黏菌,其中网柄菌属Dictyostelium的圆头网柄菌D.sphaerocephalum、棒形网柄菌D.clavatum和紫网柄菌D.purpureum和轮柄菌属Polysphondylium的亮白轮柄菌P.candidum、紫轮柄菌P.violaceum和纤细轮柄菌P.tenuissium,均为河南省新记录种。文中对该6种网柄菌进行了形态学描述,并附有生长发育部分阶段形态和显微照片。     

Distribution and ecology of dictyostelids in China

Dictyostelid cellular slime molds are a ubiquitous component of most soils, where they feed upon bacteria and other microbes and thus play an essential role in the soil ecosystem. Herein we review the available literature on dictyostelid cellular slime molds in China, especially their diversity and ecology. The patterns of distribution for these organisms in relation to the different habitats with which they are associated are analyzed and discussed. In addition, the assemblages of dictyostelids reported from China and the United States were compared. The CC value obtained (0.48) indicates that China and the United States are perhaps less similar than might be expected. Our data point out the need for further studies to characterize more completely the assemblages of dictyostelids associated with particular vegetation types or particular regions throughout the world.     

New species of dictyostelids from Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

In late Jan and early Feb 2005 samples for isolation of dictyostelid cellular slime molds (dictyostelids) were collected in five different provinces and from six national parks (all located 39-55°S) in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Southern beech (Nothofagus) forests represented the primary vegetation type investigated, but some samples were obtained from Patagonian steppe, alpine meadows, Valdivian temperate rainforests and coniferous forests dominated by Araucaria, Austrocedrus and Fitzroya. Among the dictyostelids isolated from the samples we collected were seven species new to science. These species (Dictyostelium austroandinum, D. chordatum, D. fasciculoideum, D. gargantuum, D. leptosomopsis, D. valdivianum and Polysphondylium patagonicum) are described herein on the basis of both morphology and molecular (SSU rDNA) data. One of the new species, D. gargantuum, is one of the largest representatives of the group reported to date. Another unusual species, D. chordatum, produces long interwoven sorocarps that do not appear to respond to a spacing gas similar to the condition first noted in D. implicatum.     

The effects of dictyostelids on the formation and maturation of myxomycete plasmodia

Dictyostelids (cellular slime molds) and myxomycetes (plasmodial slime molds) are two groups of mycetozoans usually present and often abundant in the soil and litter microhabitats of terrestrial ecosystems. Because they utilize the same food resource and occur together in a spatially limited and clearly defined microhabitat, the potential for ecological interactions would seem to exist. However, relatively few previous studies have considered this aspect of mycetozoan ecology. In the present study twenty-eight isolates (8 species) of dictyostelids were co-cultured in all possible pair-wise combinations with fourteen isolates (7 species) of myxomycetes to determine if there were any effects on the production of fruiting bodies. Dictyostelids showed little or no delay in culmination and only random and inconsistent reductions in sorocarp abundance when co-cultured with myxomycetes. In contrast, myxomycetes displayed a number of specific effects. The heterothallic isolates exhibited delays in plasmodial formation and/or maturation, with some pairings showing little to no effect, while others displayed nearly complete inhibition of plasmodial formation or maturation. Apomictic isolates, in general, were much less affected, with only a few combinations displaying significant delays in both formation and maturation of plasmodia.     

Dictyostelid cellular slime molds associated with grasslands of the central and western United States

Dictyostelid cellular slime molds (dictyostelids) associated with grassland ecosystems of the central and western United States were investigated at nine sites that included examples of the three major ecological types of grasslands (tall grass, mixed grass and short grass) generally recognized for the region. Samples of soil/humus collected from each site were examined with the Cavender method of isolating dictyostelids. For each of those six sites with well developed gallery forests present, an additional set of forest soil/humus samples was collected. A more intensive sampling effort was carried out at one site (Konza LTER) to assess the possible effects of burning and grazing on dictyostelid diversity and density. Twelve species of dictyostelids were recovered from grassland sites, whereas gallery forest sites yielded only nine species. Four cosmopolitan species (Dictyostelium giganteum, D. mucoroides, D. sphaerocephalum and Polysphondylium pallidum) were represented by the greatest densities of clones, with D. sphaerocephalum particularly common. The general pattern across all sites was that both species richness and density of dictyostelids decreased with decreasing precipitation. Samples collected from ungrazed grassland plots yielded higher numbers of both species and clones as compared to grazed plots, and the general pattern was for both values to increase as the interval between fires increased. For numbers of clones this correlation was statistically significant.     

Distribution and ecology of dictyostelid cellular slime molds in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses an area of 2080 km2 in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina between 35 degrees 28' and 35 degrees 47' N. Elevations are 270-2000 m above sea level, and the topography and vegetation are as diverse as any region of eastern North America. In 1998-2004 soil/litter samples for isolation of dictyostelid cellular slime molds were collected throughout the park. Collecting sites included examples of all major forest types along with the more common types of nonforest vegetation. More than 2300 clones of dictyostelids were recovered from 412 samples. These clones included representatives of 20 described species together with at least 10 species new to science. This total is higher than those reported for other temperate regions of the world. In general both numbers of species and numbers of clones/g of sample material decreased with increasing elevation and several species displayed a distinct preference for either the low or high end of the elevation gradient. The relatively high number of new species recovered from samples collected at high elevations is an important new finding for dictyostelid ecology and distribution.     

Ground-feeding migratory songbirds as cellular slime mold distribution vectors

Cosmopolitan species of cellular slime molds occur continents apart in both tropical and temperate zones of the world though the spore masses are too heavy to be wind borne, and water dispersal is limited to the watercourses. A highly mobile distribution vector was found in ground-feeding migratory song birds. Nine ubiquitous species and 2 ecologicially distinct species of dictyostelid cellular slime molds were isolated from the feces of ground-feeding eastern North American migratory thrushes, finches, sparrows and warblers, both on breeding and winter grounds. Three propagules of slime molds, amoebae, spores and macrocysts survive passage through the avian digesive tract and remain in the gut long enough to be transported by major bird migrations. Habitats with the greates species diversity of both cellular slime molds and ground-feeding passerines concur in both eastern North America and Central America. Birds actively seek their prefered habitats; the cellular slime molds have arrived at these habitats as passengers. Rare slime molds can serve as a marker to the habitats that migratory birds have visited, or birds with known habitats can provide clues as to the distribution of rare species of cellular slime molds.     

Five new species of dictyostelid social amoebae (Amoebozoa) from Thailand

Background

Dictyostelid cellular slime molds (dictyostelids) are common inhabitants of the soil and leaf litter layer of fields and forests, along with animal dung, where they feed mostly on bacteria. However, reports on the species diversity of dictyostelids in South Asia, particularly Thailand, are limited. The research reported in this paper was carried out to increase our knowledge of the species diversity of this group of organisms in northern Thailand.

Results

Forty soil samples were collected at four localities in northern Thailand to assess the species richness of dictyostelids. These samples yielded five dictyostelid isolates that were not morphologically consistent with any described species. Based on molecular signatures, all five of these isolates were assigned to the family Cavenderiaceae, genus Cavenderia. All five share a number of morphological similarities with other known species from this family. The new taxa differ from previously described species primarily in the size and complexity of their fruiting bodies (sorocarps). This paper describes these new species (Cavenderia aureostabilis, C. bhumiboliana, C. protodigitata, C. pseudoaureostipes, and C. subdiscoidea) based on a combination of morphological characteristics and their phylogenetic positions.

Conclusions

At least 15 taxa of dictyostelids were obtained from the four localities in northern Thailand, which indicates the high level of species diversity in this region. Five species were found to be new to science. These belong to the family Cavenderiaceae, genus Cavenderia, and were described based on both morphology and phylogeny.

     

Novel chlorinated dibenzofurans isolated from the cellular slime mold,Polysphondylium filamentosum,and their biological activities

Cellular slime molds are expected to have the huge potential for producing secondary metabolites including polyketides, and we have studied the diversity of secondary metabolites of cellular slime molds for their potential utilization as new biological resources for natural product chemistry. From the methanol extract of fruiting bodies of Polysphondylium filamentosum, we obtained new chlorinated benzofurans Pf-1 (4) and Pf-2 (5) which display multiple biological activities; these include stalk cell differentiation-inducing activity in the well-studied cellular slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum, and inhibitory activities on cell proliferation in mammalian cells and gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster.