Leucine-lysine synchronization of Allomyces germlings

Summary The leucine-lysine synchronization technique of Dill and Fuller (1970) has been further refined and used to study various biosynthetic events of pre-mitotic germlings of Allomyces neo-moniliformis (the time of DNA replication, RNA synthesis, and protein synthesis), and various morphogenetic changes (germling development, nuclear cap breakdown, and the first mitotic nuclear division). The degree of synchrony induced in a population of germlings appears to be determined by the time when the zoospores are induced to encyst and germinate rather than by the duration of the swimming period of the zoospore. DNA replication, nuclear cap breakdown, early protein synthesis, and morphogenetic development appear to occur prior to messenger RNA synthesis in developing thalli and thus would be under the control of pre-existing messenger RNA. The degree of synchrony of particular morphogenetic or biosynthetic developmental changes induced in a population of A. neo-moniliformis germlings must be determined for each aspect of development which is to be studied.