Cellular hallmarks and regulation of the diatom cell cycle

Diatoms are one of the oldest experimental models for studying the mitotic cell cycle, with microscopic descriptions of cell division dating back to the nineteenth century. In recent years, the advent of genetic and genomic tools has improved our understanding of the mechanisms driving cell cycle progression in diatoms. Diatom species thrive in almost all aquatic habitats and several of them form blooms under specific environmental conditions. In order to optimize their growth rate to the prevailing conditions, species-specific cell cycle checkpoints have evolved that integrate cues such as light, nutrients, and sex pheromones. This chapter reviews the structural events occurring during each cell cycle stage, focusing on organelle division, the unique mitotic spindle of diatoms, and the different steps of mitosis. The conservation of the core cell cycle components in diatom genomes is briefly explored. External conditions that activate the G1/S and G2/M checkpoints of the interphase are discussed, with special attention to the light-dependent G1 phase checkpoint in P. tricornutum, which is currently the best characterized regulatory cell cycle pathway in diatoms. The chapter concludes with an outlook on how novel technologies can contribute to solving the specificities of the diatom cell cycle at a molecular level.

ISBN:978-3-030-92499-7

Jaar van publicatie:2022

Toegankelijkheid:Closed