Invalidation of Hyperamoeba by Transferring its Species to Other Genera of Myxogastria

ABSTRACT. The genus Hyperamoeba Alexeieff, 1923 was established to accommodate an aerobic amoeba exhibiting three life stages—amoeba, flagellate, and cyst. As more species/strains were isolated, it became increasingly evident from small subunit (SSU) gene phylogenies and ultrastructure that Hyperamoeba is polyphyletic and its species occupy different positions within the class Myxogastria. To pinpoint Hyperamoeba strains within other myxogastrid genera we aligned numerous myxogastrid sequences: whole small subunit ribosomal (SSU or 18S rRNA) gene for 50 dark‐spored (i.e. Stemonitida and Physarida) Myxogastria (including a new “Hyperamoeba”/Didymium sequence) and a ～400‐bp SSU fragment for 147 isolates assigned to 10 genera of the order Physarida. Phylogenetic analyses show unambiguously that the type species Hyperamoeba flagellata is a Physarum (Physarum flagellatum comb. nov.) as it nests among other Physarum species as robust sister to Physarum didermoides. Our trees also allow the following allocations: five Hyperamoeba strains to the genus Stemonitis; Hyperamoeba dachnaya, Pseudodidymium cryptomastigophorum, and three other Hyperamoeba strains to the genus Didymium; and two further Hyperamoeba strains to the family Physaridae. We therefore abandon the polyphyletic and redundant genus Hyperamoeba. We discuss the implications for the ecology and evolution of Myxogastria, whose amoeboflagellates are more widespread than previous inventories supposed, being now found in freshwater and even marine environments.     

Spore germination and swarm cell morphogenesis in the acellular slime mold Fuligo septica

This report describes conditions under which spores of the acellular slime mold Fuligo septica underwent a very rapid, synchronous and complete (100%) germination followed by morphogenesis of motile, flagellated swarm cells from the released protoplasts. This developmental sequence was initiated immediately upon wetting the spores with a surfactant and was completed within 40–50 min in the absence of any exogenous nutrient other than sodium phosphate buffer. Oxygen was required for germination. The rate and percentage of germination diminished with increasing spore concentration suggesting the existence of an autoinhibitor. The morphological sequence of events in the differentiation process was examined by scanning electron microscopy.     

Enzymatic synthesis of steryl 3β-d-monoglucosides in the slime mold Physarum polycephalum

Microplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum exhibit high UDPG: sterol glucosyltransferase activity. The enzyme was purified about 28-fold by acetone pr     

Polypropionate lactones of deoxysugars glycosides from slime mold Lycogala epidendrum

Two novel polypropionate lactone glycosides (1 and 2, i.e. lycogalinosides A and B) were isolated from the slime mold Lycogala epidendrum. Their structures, including the absolute configurations of the hydroxyl and methyls groups, were determined by means of extensive spectroscopic data such as mass, IR, UV, and 1D and 2D NMR spectra and chemical degradation followed by spectroscopic and chromatographic analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 are unique in structure containing a 2-deoxy-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl-(1-4)-6-deoxy-beta-D-gulopyranosyl unit and a beta-D-olivopyranosyl-(1-4)-beta-D-fucopyranosyl unit, respectively, and showed growth inhibitory activities against Gram-positive bacteria.     

黄柄钙皮菌无菌培养条件的优化筛选

黄柄钙皮菌是黏菌中的一种重要模式生物,本文筛选了其无菌培养条件,比较了生活史不同阶段的发生时间,同时比较了生活史中孢子萌发、原质团生长及子实体形成3个阶段的培养条件。结果表明,黄柄钙皮菌适宜的培养条件为：在20%水琼脂上于28℃进行孢子萌发;在24–26℃下20%琼脂+40%燕麦培养基上进行原生质团的培养;在24–26℃下1 000Lx光照10–14h时形成子实体。     

Species-specific cell mobility of bacteria-feeding myxamoebae in plasmodial slime molds

On decaying wood or litter in forests, plasmodial slime molds (myxomycetes) represent a large fraction of eukaryotic protists that feed on bacteria. In his seminal book Experimental Physiology of Plants (1865), Julius Sachs referred to the multinucleate plasmodium of myxomycetes, which were considered at that time as primitive plants (or fungi). Today it is well established that myxomycetes are members of the Amoebozoa (Protista). In this study we compare the mobility of myxamoebae of 3 European species, Lycogala epidendrum (order Liceales), Tubulifera arachnoidea, and Trichia decipiens (order Trichiales). Using agar plates, on which 3 separate bacterial species were cultivated as prey organisms (Methylobacterium mesophilicum, Escherichia coli, Agrobacterium tumefaciens), we document large differences in cell motility between the myxomycetes investigated. In addition, we show that the 3 species of myxamoebae can be distinguished based on their average cell size. These data shed light on the mode of co-occurrence via differential substrate utilization in these members of the Amoebozoa.     

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Cavendericfasciculata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...     

大网柄菌Dictyostelium magnum生活史的研究

为了了解网柄菌生活史循环的整个过程,显微观察了大网柄菌Dictyostelium magnum在双凹载玻片及水琼脂培养基上的完整生长循环,记录了大网柄菌生活史中各阶段,即孢子、黏变形体、集群、假原质团、拔顶、孢堆果及再次释放孢子的显著特征,整个生活循环历时2－3d。     

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。     

灰绒泡菌生活史及其子实体发育过程的显微观察

为明确灰绒泡菌Physarum cinereum的个体发育特征,本研究在实验室条件下完成了该菌的生活史,并对其子实体发育过程进行显微观察。灰绒泡菌P. cinereum孢子萌发方式为裂式,显型原质团水白色;子实体形态建成可分为孢囊形成期和孢囊成熟期,孢囊成熟期幼孢囊颜色随着孢子的形成呈现白色-红棕色-黑褐色逐渐加深的变化;子实体在发育过程中孢丝形成后原生质割裂形成孢子。     

Deoxyribonucleic Acid Base Composition of Some Cellular Slime Molds*

SYNOPSIS. Deoxyribonucleic acids (DNAs) isolated from 12 representatives of cellular slime molds grown in monoxenic cultures were analyzed by density gradient centrifugation in CsC1. The unique contribution of the DNA of each food organism was subtracted and the DNA base composition of each cellular slime mold determined. The guanine plus cytosine contents range 22–37 moles % within the representatives of the order. Minor bands (satellite bands) of DNA have been observed in preparations from Dictyostelium spp. and from Polysphondylium pallidum.     

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.