Die Beeinflussung der Zellkerne in den Vorkeimen von Dryopteris filix-mas durch rote und blaue Strahlung

Abstract

Morphogenesis and differentiation of fern gametophytes (Dryopteris filix-mas) are strongly controlled by light. “Normal” morphogenesis, i. e. formation of two- or three dimensional prothallia, can occur only under short wave length visible light (= blue light). In darkness and under long wave length visible light (= red light) the gametophytes will grow as filaments. The blue light dependent photoreactive system which controls morphogenesis seems to be located in the outer layers of the cytoplasm. The control of morphogenesis is causally connected with the increase of protein synthesis under the influence of blue light. In the present paper the influence of red and blue light on shape and volume of the nucleus in the fully grown basal cell of the young gametophyte of Dryopteris filix-mas has been investigated. In blue light the nuclei are more or less spherical, in red and in darkness they are spindle shaped. If the light quality is changed the shape of the nuclei is only slightly influenced; the nuclear volume, however, is drastically changed: increase of volume in the blue, decrease of nuclear volume in red and darkness. These reversible changes of nuclear volume under the influence of light, which are apparently correlated with changing rates of protein synthesis, are an impressive example for the control of nuclear properties by an external factor via the cytoplasm.