Dictyostelium
Dictyostelium
The Dictyostelia are soil amoebae capable of extraordinary feats of survival, motility, chemotaxis, and development. Known as the "social amoebae," these organisms have been the subjects of serious study since the 1930s. Research in this area has been instrumental in shaping general views of differentiation, morphogenesis, and communication. Beginning with the history of Dictyostelids, this book considers the problems of the evolution of this multicellular organism. Characterized by its ability to transform from a single-celled organism into an elaborate assemblage of thousands of synchronously-moving cells, each stage of its development is treated in a separate chapter. The special properties of the Dictyostelid genome are rigorously analyzed, and the methods available to manipulate genes are presented in detail. Research techniques that enable many cell biology problems to be approached in studying the organism are also presented. Throughout, the emphasis is on combining classical experiments with modern molecular findings.
- A comprehensive book which covers all aspects of Dictyostelid research and biology
- Covers both classical studies and modern findings
Reviews & endorsements
"The book is very well organized and beautifully written; difficult concepts are explained with panache and authority, leavened with the occasional flash of humour...It is a major achievement and will serve the field well for several years to come." Trends in Genetics
"The book is rich with explanations, clearly presented data, questions that beg for research projects and an appreciation of the past. In a forst-rate fashion, kessin has provided a valuable resource for anyonr studying Dictyostelium, thinking of studying it or interested in a fast-moving socialite of the amoebae world." Canadian Society of Microbiologists
"[A] major publishing event for the Dictyostelium research community...eagerly awaited and will certainly be well read throughout the Dictyostelium research community. I would recommend it both to the general reader and a new graduate student...Get it in your library before you need it." British Society of Developmental Biology Newsletter (Summer 2001)
Product details
February 2011Adobe eBook Reader
9780511836015
0 pages
0kg
This ISBN is for an eBook version which is distributed on our behalf by a third party.
Table of Contents
- Preface
- 1. A brief introduction to Dictyostelium discoideum and its relatives
- 2. A history of research on Dictyostelium discoideum
- 3. The evolutionary biology of Dictyostelium
- 4. The genome and genetics
- 5. Membranes and organelles of Dictyostelium
- 6. Cell motility and the cytoskeleton
- 7. The transition from growth to development: from starvation to self sustaining cAMP signal relay
- 8. Chemotaxis and aggregation
- 9. Differentiation and adhesion in the aggregate
- 10. Behavior of cells in the slug
- 11. Culmination
- 12. Formation and germination of spores
- 13. Resources
- References
- Index.
