Presentation Type
Poster
Department
Biology
Location
Walker Conference Center B
Description
Dictyostelium discoideum is a prevalent eukaryotic slime mold that has been utilized in many experiments because of its distinct development as an organism. Dictyostelium d.’s life cycle (figure 2) starts as spores which develop into amoebae, which feed on bacteria and when conditions are right, they will develop into multicellular structures referred to as slugs. The focal point of this experiment is to observe the movement and development of the slugs in response to light and the influence of gravity using a clinostat. To conduct the experiment, ten slugs were placed in the center of each lactose peptone plate and were either attached to a clinostat which rotated at 1 rpm or placed in a stationary position inside a clinostat box. Each plate was either treated to white light or darkness for a period of two days. Slugs on the stationary plates showed movement towards the light vector against the influence of gravity. There was little movement downward due to gravity's influence in dark conditions. Plates on the clinostat were not affected by gravity in the light conditions as they moved toward the vector. Plates exposed to darkness and the clinostat displayed little movement from the center.
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Included in
The Effects of Light and Hypo-Gravity on the Development and Movement of Dictyostelium discoideum
Walker Conference Center B
Dictyostelium discoideum is a prevalent eukaryotic slime mold that has been utilized in many experiments because of its distinct development as an organism. Dictyostelium d.’s life cycle (figure 2) starts as spores which develop into amoebae, which feed on bacteria and when conditions are right, they will develop into multicellular structures referred to as slugs. The focal point of this experiment is to observe the movement and development of the slugs in response to light and the influence of gravity using a clinostat. To conduct the experiment, ten slugs were placed in the center of each lactose peptone plate and were either attached to a clinostat which rotated at 1 rpm or placed in a stationary position inside a clinostat box. Each plate was either treated to white light or darkness for a period of two days. Slugs on the stationary plates showed movement towards the light vector against the influence of gravity. There was little movement downward due to gravity's influence in dark conditions. Plates on the clinostat were not affected by gravity in the light conditions as they moved toward the vector. Plates exposed to darkness and the clinostat displayed little movement from the center.