Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 4, 2026

High-Throughput Robotically Assisted Isolation of Temperature-sensitive Lethal Mutants in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Published on: December 5, 2016
Isolation and Characterization of Chlamydomonas Autophagy-Related Mutants in Nutrient-Deficient Conditions
Masataka Kajikawa1, Marika Yamauchi2, Haruka Shinkawa1
1Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Abstract:
Autophagy is a recycling system for amino acids and carbon- and nitrogen (N)-containing compounds. To date, the functional importance of autophagy in microalgae in nutrient-deficient conditions has not been evaluated by using autophagy-defective mutants. Here, we provide evidence which supports the following notions by characterizing an insertional mutant of the autophagy-related gene ATG8, encoding a ubiquitin-like protein necessary for the formation of the autophagosome in the green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. First, ATG8 is required for maintenance of cell survival and Chl content in N-, sulfur- and phosphate-deficient conditions. Secondly, ATG8 supports the degradation of triacylglycerol and lipid droplets after the resupply of N to cells cultured in N-limiting conditions. Thirdly, ATG8 is also necessary for accumulation of starch in phosphate-deficient conditions. Additionally, autophagy is not essential for maternal inheritance of the organelle genomes in gametogenesis.
Related Concept Videos
Autophagy
An autophagic pathway consists of a series of signaling events activated in response to diverse stress and physiological conditions such as food deprivation,...
Absorption of Nutrients
Enterocytes, which are specialized polar epithelial cells, line the mucosa of the small intestinal walls. These cells...
Conditions on Early Earth
Classical Conditioning
Ivan Pavlov observed that dogs...
Conditions of Equilibrium
Internal forces are not considered for conditions of equilibrium because they occur in equal and opposite pairs within the body, effectively canceling each other. As a result,...
Operant Conditioning
Reinforcement in operant conditioning can be positive or negative, both of which serve to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Positive...

