Circadian rhythmicity during prolonged chemostat cultivation of Neurospora crassa

Fungal Genet Biol. 2007 Aug;44(8):754-63. doi: 10.1016/j.fgb.2006.11.003. Epub 2006 Dec 29.

Abstract

Following exposure to light and attainment of steady-state in the chemostat, Neurospora was grown in constant conditions of darkness at 25 degrees C for 6 days. Biomass samples were taken every 4h for the extraction of RNA and protein, and the state of the circadian clock was assessed by assaying the levels of three rhythmically expressed mRNAs; frequency (frq), antisense frq (qrf) and clock-controlled gene-14 (ccg-14), and by monitoring the clock-controlled rhythm of sporulation. Our results indicate that the Neurospora clock continued to run in the chemostat. This is the longest reported time that Neurospora has been grown in a chemostat in filamentous form and opens up the possibility of studying the response of Neurospora to a range of stimuli in the absence of confounding effects due to; alterations in growth rate, aging, and changing conditions of the growth medium.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biological Clocks
  • Biomass
  • Carbon Dioxide / metabolism
  • Circadian Rhythm / physiology*
  • Darkness
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
  • Light
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Neurospora crassa / chemistry
  • Neurospora crassa / genetics
  • Neurospora crassa / growth & development
  • Neurospora crassa / physiology*
  • RNA, Fungal / analysis
  • RNA, Fungal / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / analysis
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Spores, Fungal / growth & development
  • Temperature
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • FRQ protein, Neurospora crassa
  • Fungal Proteins
  • RNA, Fungal
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Carbon Dioxide