Acetabularia

Acetabularia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Clade: Viridiplantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: UTC clade
Order: Dasycladales
Family: Polyphysaceae
Genus: Acetabularia
Lamouroux, 1812[1]
Species

Acetabularia is a genus of green algae in the family Polyphysaceae.[4] Typically found in subtropical waters, Acetabularia is a single-celled organism, but gigantic in size and complex in form, making it an excellent model organism for studying cell biology.[5] In form, the mature Acetabularia resembles the round leaves of a nasturtium, is 4 to 10 centimetres (1.6 to 3.9 in) tall and has three anatomical parts: a bottom rhizoid that resembles a set of short roots; a long stalk in the middle; and a top umbrella of branches that may fuse into a cap. Unlike other giant unicellular organisms, which are multinucleate, members of this genus possess a single nucleus located in the rhizoid, which allows the cell to regenerate completely if its cap is removed. The caps of two Acetabularia may also be exchanged, even from two different species. In addition, if a piece of the stem is removed, with no access to the nucleus in the rhizoid, this isolated stem piece will also grow a new cap.[6]

Details of A. mediterranea
A. mediterranea

In the 1930s–1950s Joachim Hämmerling conducted experiments in which he demonstrated Acetabularia's genetic information is contained in the nucleus.[7] This was the first demonstration that genes are encoded by DNA in eukaryotes; earlier studies by Oswald Avery and others had shown that this was true for prokaryotes.

  1. ^ Lamouroux JVF (1812). "Extrait d'un mémoire sur la classification des Polypiers coralligènes non entièrement pierreux" [Extract from a dissertation on the classification of non-entirely stony coralligenous polyps] (PDF). Nouveaux Bulletin des Sciences, par la Société Philomathique de Paris (in French). 3: 181–188.
  2. ^ Saini, K. C.; Madhu, A.; Kohli, R. K.; Gupta, K.; Bast, F. (19 September 2022). "Morpho-molecular assessment of Acetabularia jalakanyakae Sp. Nov. (Dasycladales, Chlorophyta) - a new species from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India". Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences. 50 (9): 701–708. doi:10.56042/ijms.v50i09.42756. ISSN 2582-6727. S2CID 248837725.
  3. ^ "Indian scientists discover 'mermaid' plant species". BBC News. 17 August 2021.
  4. ^ Guiry, M.D.; Guiry, G.M. (2007). "Genus: Acetabularia taxonomy browser". AlgaeBase version 4.2 World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
  5. ^ Mandoli, DF (1998). "Elaboration of Body Plan and Phase Change during Development of Acetabularia: How Is the Complex Architecture of a Giant Unicell Built?". Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology. 49: 173–198. doi:10.1146/annurev.arplant.49.1.173. PMID 15012232.
  6. ^ B. Goodwin (1994) "How the Leopard Changed its Spots" Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London
  7. ^ Hämmerling, J. (1953). "Nucleo-cytoplasmic Relationships in the Development of Acetabularia". International Review of Cytology. 2: 475–498. doi:10.1016/S0074-7696(08)61042-6. ISBN 978-0-12-364302-5.