Photobiology. Neurospora crassa is well known for its blue light receptor system.
Many of the genes responsible for blue light signal transduction
have been identified.
However, ion transport changes are also known to occur almost immediately upon blue light
irradiation. To identify blue light regulated ion transport, we used the slime mutant
of Neurospora crassa. This mutant lacks the cell wall common to fungi, and indeed,
exhibits amoeboid movement, as indicated to the left. This makes it amenable to
patch-clamp measurements of ionic currents.
Image: Giant liposome used to examine the effect of gadolinium on gigaseal formation on a lipid membrane.
Publications
- Dunina-Barkovskaya AY, NN Levina, RR Lew, IB Heath (2004) Gadolinium effects on gigaseal formation and the adhesive properties of a fungal amoeboid cell, the slime mutant of Neurospora crassa. Journal of Membrane Biology. 198:77-87. [pubmed]
- Levina NN, AY Dunina-Barkovskaya, S Shabala, RR Lew (2002) Blue light modulation of ion transport in the slime mutant of Neurospora crassa. Journal of Membrane Biology. 188:213-226. [pubmed]
- Serlin BS, RR Lew, F. Krasnoshtein, J Krol and KD Sumida (1996) Phytochrome activation of potassium channels and chloroplast rotation in Mougeotia: The escape times. Plant and Cell Physiology. 37:175-179. [abstract]
- Lew RR, F Krasnoshtein, BS Serlin and CL Schauf (1992) Phytochrome activation of K+ channels in Mougeotia: action spectra. Plant Physiology. 98:1511-1514. [pubmed]
- Lew RR, BS Serlin CL Schauf and ME Stockton (1990a) Red light regulates calcium-activated potassium channels in Mougeotia. Plant Physiology. 92:822-830. [pubmed]
- Lew RR, BS Serlin CL Schauf and ME Stockton (1990b) Calcium activation of potassium channels in Mougeotia. Plant Physiology. 92:831-836. [pubmed]
Image: Mougeotia potassium channels activated by phytochrome.
