Cytoplasmic streaming in giant internodal cells of green algae is caused by ATP-dependent sliding between actin cables fixed on chloroplast rows and cytoplasmic myosin molecules attached to cytoplasmic organelles. Its velocity (>/=50 micro m s(-1)) is many times larger than the maximum velocity of actin-myosin sliding in muscle. We studied kinetic properties of actin-myosin sliding causing cyto...

A green ciliate Paramecium bursaria, bearing several hundreds of endosymbiotic algae, demonstrates rotational microtubule-based cytoplasmic streaming, in which cytoplasmic granules and endosymbiotic algae flow in a constant direction. However, its physiological significance is still unknown. We investigated physiological roles of cytoplasmic streaming in P. bursaria through host cell cycle usin...

Colonies arising from single asexual spores o f the fungus Aspergillus glaucus show differences am ong them selves in germ ination, grow th rate, pigm entation and sexuality. These differences are transm issible, at least in part, to daughter colonies produced by asexual reproduction. T hey are independent o f the nucleus and m ust be referred to persistent differences in the cytoplasm , arisin...

Transport along axons and dendrites ranges from the fast movement of vesicles (50-500 mm day"), which can be observed directly by light microscopy, to the slow progress of cytoskeletal proteins. The latter, which has been followed only by using radiolabelled proteins (reviewed by Lasek et al. 1985), occurs at 0-2-8-0 mm day", but this is still faster than diffusion. The differential speeds of v...