Asymmetry and integration of cellular morphology in Micrasterias compereana
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- 作者：Jiří Neustupa
- 关键词：Desmidiales ; Geometric morphometrics ; Green algae ; Micrasterias ; Morphological asymmetry ; Morphological integration
- 刊名：BMC Evolutionary Biology
- 出版年：2017
- 出版时间：December 2017
- 年：2017
- 卷：17
- 期：1
- 全文大小：2188KB
- 刊物主题：Evolutionary Biology; Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/ Biogeography; Entomology; Genetics and Population Dynamics; Life Sciences, general;
- 出版者：BioMed Central
- ISSN：1471-2148
- 卷排序：17
文摘
BackgroundUnicellular green algae of the genus Micrasterias (Desmidiales) have complex cells with multiple lobes and indentations, and therefore, they are considered model organisms for research on plant cell morphogenesis and variation. Micrasterias cells have a typical biradial symmetric arrangement and multiple terminal lobules. They are composed of two semicells that can be further differentiated into three structural components: the polar lobe and two lateral lobes. Experimental studies suggested that these cellular parts have specific evolutionary patterns and develop independently. In this study, different geometric morphometric methods were used to address whether the semicells of Micrasterias compereana are truly not integrated with regard to the covariation of their shape data. In addition, morphological integration within the semicells was studied to ascertain whether individual lobes constitute distinct units that may be considered as separate modules. In parallel, I sought to determine whether the main components of morphological asymmetry could highlight underlying cytomorphogenetic processes that could indicate preferred directions of variation, canalizing evolutionary changes in cellular morphology.