PROTEIN CHANGES DURING MORPHOLOGICAL DIFFERENTIATION AND ITS REVERSAL IN SYNCHRONIZED SINGLE GENERATIONS OF BLASTOCLADIELLA EMERSONII

Abstract

C antino , E. C., and A. G oldstein . (Michigan State U., East Lansing.) Protein changes during morphological differentiation and its reversal in synchronized single generations of Blastocladiella emersonii. Amer. Jour. Bot. 49(6): 642–646. Illus. 1962.—Part of the soluble protein pool in synchronized, single generations of RS (resistant sporangial) cells of Blastocladiella emersonii at different stages in ontogeny was fractionated on DEAE‐cellulose; morphological differentiation was associated with changes in the quantities per cell of various protein components. The protein pool in RS cells was compared with that in OC (ordinary colorless) cells, the latter being formed via an alternate morphogenetic pathway. Among the separable proteinaceous components, one major fraction in an OC cell was reduced to one third this level in an RS cell; a second fraction increased about 6‐fold, while 5 other components changed very little. It was concluded that the bicarbonate‐induced RS differentiation involves appreciable reorganization of the protein pool. When a young RS cell, which has not reached its morphological point of no return, is made to revert to the alternate morphogenetic path leading to an OC cell, by removing exogenous bicarbonate, the quantitative relationship between certain protein fractions of the cell also reverses and quickly approaches that found in a mature OC cell. Alternatively, beyond the point of no return in RS differentiation, when genesis of an OC cell can no longer be induced by removal of bicarbonate, this alteration of the protein pattern does not occur.