title: Direct evidence for Ca2+ regulation of hyphal branch induction
abstract: Grinberg, A., and Heath, I. B. 1997. Direct evidence for Ca2+ regulation of hyphal branch induction. 22, 127-139. Irradiation of growing hyphae of Saprolegnia ferax with microbeams of UV (300-380 and 385-450 nm) light induced an increase in cytoplasmic [Ca2+] followed by precocious formation of one or more branches within about 4 min. The distribution of branches was strongly skewed toward the subapical side of the irradiation site, but otherwise was apparantly random. Apical (10-&mgr;m) irradiations were more effective than subapical (50-&mgr;m) ones in that they induced branches at comparable frequencies but with lower doses, consistent with higher concentrations of putative target intracellular Ca2+ storage structures in this region. Once formed, induced adjacent branches seem to compete for "resources," with those closer than approximately 50 &mgr;m inhibiting each other. The results are most consistent with Ca2+-induced accumulation of branch initiating factors being the cause, not the consequence, of branch formation, thus supporting a primary role for Ca2+ in regulation of hyphal tip growth. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997 Academic Press
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, North York, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Canada.
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grinberg
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Heath