The Role of Surface Water and Light on Differentiation in the Cellular Slime Molds |
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| Authors: | J T BONNER T A DAVIDOWSKI W-L HSU D A LAPEYROLERIE H L B SUTHERS |
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| Institution: | Department of Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA |
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| Abstract: | A key environmental factor in inducing final fruiting body differentiation in the migrating slugs of cellular slime molds is loss of contact with a surface film of water. If the slug tip reaches above the water film, fruiting tends to occur, but if it stays in contact with the surface water, continued migration is favored. Light is effective in promoting fruiting only if the phototactic slugs orient away from surface (as with overhead light) and therefore, only indirectly affects differentiation. |
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