Development of the Genetic Map of Volvox

在分析细胞分化和形态发生的遗传控制方面，紫旋涡是一个潜在的强大模型。每个个体包含两种完全不同的细胞类型，它们在营养和生殖功能之间表现出完全的分工，并以高度规则的模式排列在一个简单的球体内。由于这种生物是单倍体，并且在无性循环中繁殖迅速，因此具有影响关键发育过程的突变的个体很容易被分离出来，并生长成大型的、基因同质的群体。但由于这种生物可以随意从无性繁殖转变为有性繁殖，因此正式的基因分析也是可能的。我们的目标是通过将其扩展到包括额外的耐药标记，限制性片段长度多态性和重排断点，使Volvox的遗传连锁图谱对未来的发育和分子遗传学研究更有用。而且，作为阐明调节生殖细胞分化的遗传程序的重要一步，我们将尝试识别和绘制所有的基因座，在这些基因座上，突变要么导致体细胞和生殖细胞之间的劳动分工崩溃，或者导致有性繁殖。团藻是单细胞衣藻和多细胞高等植物之间的桥梁。因此，对藻藻的基础研究在进化和发育研究中具有重要意义

Volvox carteri is a potentially powerful model for analyzing the genetic control of cellular differentiation and morphogenesis. Each individual contains two entirely different cell types that exhibit a complete division of labor between vegetative and reproductive functions, and that are arranged in a highly regular pattern within a simple spheroid. Because the organism is haploid and reproduces rapidly in the asexual cycle, individuals possessing mutations affecting key developmental processes are readily isolated, and grown into large, genetically homogeneous populations. But because the organism can be switched from asexual to sexual reproduction at will, formal genetic analysis is also possible. Our objective is to make the genetic linkage map of Volvox more useful for future developmental- and molecular-genetic studies, by extending it to include additional drug-resistance markers, restriction fragment length polymorphisms and rearrangement breakpoints. And, as a major step toward elucidating the genetic programs that regulate differentiation of reproductive cells, we will attempt to identify and map all of the loci at which mutations either result in a breakdown of the division of labor between somatic and reproductive cells, or result in constitutive sexual reproduction. Volvox bridges the gap between single-celled chlamydomonas, and multicellular higher plants. Therefore, basic studies of Volvox are important in evolutionary and developmental studies.***//