Strains

From Rogene Schnell, University of Minnesota, October 1992

Phenotype: requires acetate; antibiotic resistant (streptomycin)

This is the strain referred to by Schnell and Lefebvre as A55-a5. nit2-2 is a new spontaneous mutation resulting from a Gulliver transposon insertion in strain A55 (ac17 sr1). Schnell noted in her submission that the mutation is unstable but that she had always been able to recover nit- colonies from this strain.

Schnell RA, Lefebvre PA (1993) Isolation of the Chlamydomonas regulatory gene NIT2 by transposon tagging. Genetics 134:737-747

  • Locus:
  • AC17, NIT2, SR1
  • Chromosome:
  • 3,9

From Marilyn Kobayashi, University of California Berkeley, Niyogi lab, November 2008

The w-7 mutant was obtained by Spreitzer and Mets after 5-fluorodeoxyuridine/ ethyl methanesulfontate mutagenesis of their strain 2137 (see CC-3269). It is very deficient in chloroplast pigments, white to pale green in color, and extremely light-sensitive. Our original stock was obtained from John Sullivan at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center in 1992. He had received it from Wei-Yeh Wang at Iowa State University. That stock was eventually lost, and was replaced by an equivalent strain by Marilyn Kobayashi in the Niyogi laboratory, UC Berkeley, in 2008.

This mutant was mapped by Spreitzer and Mets to linkage group XI, and subsequently shown to be ian allele at the LTS1 locus, which in turn was identified as the PSY1 gene encoding phytoene synthase.

Spreitzer RJ, Mets L (1981) Photosynthesis-deficient Mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardii with Associated Light-sensitive Phenotypes. Plant Physiol. 67:565-569

Iroshnikova GA, Rakhimberdieva MG, Karapetyan NV (1982) Study of pigmentation-modifying mutations in strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardii of different ploidy. III. Characteristics of disturbances of the photosynthetic apparatus in the presence of mutations in the lts1 locus. Soviet Genetics 18:1350-1356

McCarthy SS, Kobayashi MC, Niyogi KK (2004) White mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii are defective in phytoene synthase. Genetics 168:1249-1257

  • Locus:
  • LTS1 [PSY1]
  • Chromosome:
  • 11

From Jon Spanier, University of North Dakota, October 1992

Received from Spanier as strain SJ581-F4, originally from the Lefebvre lab, and from there to Jon Jarvik’s lab. This strain is deficient in the molybdenum cofactor for nitrate reductase and xanthine dehydrogenase. Please see CC-2900 for additional information on nit4.

  • Locus:
  • NIT4
  • Chromosome:
  • 10

Chlamydomonas Genetics Center, Duke University

Phenotype: requires arginine; wall deficient; motility impaired

From a cross of CC-1036 pf18 x CC-1618 cw15 arg7, 1992

This strain and CC-2846 were created in response to a need for an immobile arg7 strain in a cell-wall deficient background, for use in a transformation experiment.

  • Locus:
  • ARG7, PF18
  • Chromosome:
  • 1,2

Chlamydomonas Genetics Center, Duke University

Phenotype: requires arginine; wall deficient; motility impaired

From a cross of CC-1036 pf18 x CC-1618 cw15 arg7, 1992

This strain and CC-2845 were created in response to a need for an immobile arg7 strain in a cell-wall deficient background, for use in a transformation experiment.

  • Locus:
  • ARG7, PF18
  • Chromosome:
  • 1,2

Amnon Lers in Boynton-Gillham laboratory, Duke University

This strain was derived by co-transformation of CC-125 with plasmids P-228 (encoding a selectable spectinomycin resistance mutation) and P-465, a plasmid obtained from Steve Mayfield in which a mutation was introduced in the 3′ end of the psbA gene sequence to delete the sequences coding for the C-terminus, which is normally removed by processing.

  • Locus:
  • psbA
  • Chromosome:
  • chloroplast

Chlamydomonas Genetics Center, Duke University

Phenotype: wall deficient; motility impaired

From a cross of CC-503 cw92 mt+ x CC-1297 pf18 mt-

This strain has the rigid flagella mutation pf18 in a cell wall deficient background. Please see CC-1036 for more information on the pf18 mutation.

  • Locus:
  • PF18
  • Chromosome:
  • 2

Chlamydomonas Genetics Center, Duke University

Phenotype: wall deficient; motility impaired

From a cross of CC-503 cw92 mt+ x CC-1297 pf18 mt-

This strain has the rigid flagella mutation pf18 in a cell wall deficient background. Please see CC-1036 for more information on the pf18 mutation.

  • Locus:
  • PF18
  • Chromosome:
  • 2

Boynton-Gillham laboratory, Duke University

Phenotype: antibiotic and herbicide resistant (DCMU, erythromycin)

This is Scott Newman’s strain T64 P344/1852 dr er #10. It was derived from transformation of strain CC-1852, a hybrid strain containing the C. smithii chloroplast genome, with plasmid P-344, which is no longer in the Chlamydomonas Resource Center collection. This plasmid contained a 6.9 kb Eco-Sal C. reinhardtii insert running from psbA intron 4 to the 3′ portion of the 23S rRNA gene). Exon 5 of psbA contains the DCMU4 mutation and the rRNA gene contains the er-u-1a mutation. Two diagnostic RFLP fragments in the interval between psbA 5′ and rRNA 3′ were confirmed to have been derived from C. reinhardtii, rather than the C. smithii chloroplast genome of CC-1852 (see Newman et al. 1990, Figure 1).

Newman SM, Boynton JE, Gillham NW, Randolph-Anderson BL, Johnson AM, Harris EH (1990) Transformation of chloroplast ribosomal RNA genes in Chlamydomonas: molecular and genetic characterization of integration events. Genetics 126:875-888

Scott Newman in the Boynton-Gillham laboratory, Duke University

Phenotype: requires acetate; antibiotic resistant (spectinomycin, streptomycin)

This is a derivative of CC-2805, which is no longer in the collection.
It was obtained by co-transformation of CC-125 with P-183 (sr spr) and P-330 . P-330 had a ca. 200 bp deletion of a SnaB1 fragment in the 5′ end of the rbcL gene.

  • Locus:
  • rbcL, rrnS
  • Chromosome:
  • chloroplast

Amnon Lers, Boynton-Gillham laboratory, Duke University

This is Lers strain RK2. It contains a site-directed mutation that changes Arg238 of the psbA gene to Lys. This mutation occurs naturally in the D1 protein of the plant Phalaris paradoxa (Schoenfeld et al. 1987, Plant Physiol. 83, 329-333), where it appears to suppress negative effects on photosynthesis and growth produced by the triazine-resistant Ser264-> Gly mutation. Heifetz et al. reported that otherwise isogenic Chlamydomonas strains containing the DCMU4 (Ser264-> Ala) mutation alone and DCMU4 in combination with psbA-RK were indistinguishable with respect to various parameters of photosynthesis and growth rate.

Heifetz PB, Lers A, Turpin DH, Gillham NW, Boynton JE, Osmond CB (1997) Dr and spr/sr mutations of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii affecting D1 protein function and synthesis define two independent steps leading to chronic photoinhibition and confer differential fitness. Plant Cell Environ 20:1145-1157

  • Locus:
  • psbA
  • Chromosome:
  • chloroplast

Amnon Lers, Boynton-Gillham laboratory, Duke University

This is Lers strain RK3. See CC-2887 for details on the psbA-RK mutation.

  • Locus:
  • psbA
  • Chromosome:
  • chloroplast

From Steven Mayfield, Research Institute of Scripps Clinic, March 1993

Phenotype: requires acetate

Despite isolation following 5-fluorodeoxyuridine treatment, a mutagen generally considered to act preferentially on chloroplast DNA, this is a nuclear mutation. It has a 5.7 kb insertion of the TOC1 transposon in the gene encoding the OEE1 protein.

Please see CC-4144 and CC-4145 for more recently acquired isolates of this mutant.

Day A, Schirmer-Rahire M, Kuchka MR, Mayfield SP, Rochaix JD (1988) A transposon with an unusual arrangement of long terminal repeats in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. EMBO J 7:1917-1927

  • Locus:
  • FUD44 [PSBO]
  • Chromosome:
  • 9

From George Witman, Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, April 1993

Phenotype: altered phototaxis

This mutant is defective in the calcium-dependent shift in flagellar dominance required for phototaxis.

Horst CJ, Witman GB (1993) Ptx1, a nonphototactic mutant of Chlamydomonas, lacks control of flagellar dominance. J Cell Biol 120:733-741

From Emilio Fernandez, University of Cordoba, April 1993

This is a derivative of Ruth Sager’s strain 6145 (please see CC-1691) and is the parent strain of some of the nitrate-reduction system mutants described by Fernández and Cárdenas.

Fernández E, Cárdenas J (1982) Regulation of the nitrate-reducing system enzymes in wild-type and mutant strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardii. Mol Gen Genet 186:164-169

From Emilio Fernandez, University of Cordoba, April 1993

This is a cryptic mutation present in Sager’s 21 gr strain, identified after nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis that produced a second mutation, nit6. Mutants at the NIT5 locus are deficient in the molybdenum cofactor for nitrate reductase and xanthine dehydrogenase, but both the nit5 and nit6 mutations are required to produce a nitrate reductase deficient phenotype.

Sosa FM, Ortega T, Barea JL (1978) Mutants from Chlamydomonas reinhardii affected in their nitrate assimilation capabiligy. Plant Sci Lett 11:51-58

Fernández E, Cárdenas J (1982) Regulation of the nitrate-reducing system enzymes in wild-type and mutant strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardii. Mol Gen Genet 186:164-169

Fernández E, Matagne RF (1984) Genetic analysis of nitrate reductase-deficient mutants in Chlamydomonas reinhardii. Curr Genet 8:635-640

From Emilio Fernandez, University of Cordoba, April 1993

This strain has the wild type allele at the NIT2 locus. For more information on nit1-305, please see CC-2453.

  • Locus:
  • NIT1
  • Chromosome:
  • 9

From Emilio Fernandez, University of Cordoba, April 1993

The nit1-301 allele was isolated by Sosa et al. in Sager’s 6145c strain after nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis. This mutant is deficient in nitrate reductase and lacks the terminal reductase activity. This strain has the wild type allele at the NIT2 locus.

Sosa FM, Ortega T, Barea JL (1978) Mutants from Chlamydomonas reinhardii affected in their nitrate assimilation capabiligy. Plant Sci Lett 11:51-58

Fernández E, Cárdenas J (1982) Regulation of the nitrate-reducing system enzymes in wild-type and mutant strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardii. Mol Gen Genet 186:164-169

Fernández E, Matagne RF (1984) Genetic analysis of nitrate reductase-deficient mutants in Chlamydomonas reinhardii. Curr Genet 8:635-640

  • Locus:
  • NIT1
  • Chromosome:
  • 9

From Emilio Fernandez, University of Cordoba, April 1993

The nit3-307 mutation was isolated by Sosa et al. in Sager’s 6145c strain after nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis. This mutant is deficient in nitrate reductase and lacks the molybdenum cofactor and terminal reductase activities. Please see CC-3270 for a better isolate of this strain.

Sosa FM, Ortega T, Barea JL (1978) Mutants from Chlamydomonas reinhardii affected in their nitrate assimilation capabiligy. Plant Sci Lett 11:51-58

Fernández E, Cárdenas J (1982) Regulation of the nitrate-reducing system enzymes in wild-type and mutant strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardii. Mol Gen Genet 186:164-169

Fernández E, Matagne RF (1984) Genetic analysis of nitrate reductase-deficient mutants in Chlamydomonas reinhardii. Curr Genet 8:635-640

From Emilio Fernandez, University of Cordoba, April 1993

The nit4-104 mutation was isolated by Sosa et al. in Sager’s 6145c strain after nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis. This mutant is deficient in nitrate reductase and lacks the molybdenum cofactor and terminal reductase activities.

Sosa FM, Ortega T, Barea JL (1978) Mutants from Chlamydomonas reinhardii affected in their nitrate assimilation capabiligy. Plant Sci Lett 11:51-58

Fernández E, Cárdenas J (1982) Regulation of the nitrate-reducing system enzymes in wild-type and mutant strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardii. Mol Gen Genet 186:164-169

Fernández E, Matagne RF (1984) Genetic analysis of nitrate reductase-deficient mutants in Chlamydomonas reinhardii. Curr Genet 8:635-640

Pérez-Vicente R, Cárdenas J, Pineda M (1991) Distinction between Hypoxanthine and Xanthine Transport in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Plant Physiol 95:126-130

  • Locus:
  • NIT4
  • Chromosome:
  • 10

From Emilio Fernandez, University of Cordoba, April 1993

Mutants at the NIT6 locus are deficient in the molybdenum cofactor for nitrate reductase and xanthine dehydrogenase. Both the nit5 and nit6 mutations are required to give the nitrate reductase deficient phenotype. Please see CC-2896 for more information on nit5. The nit5 nit6 double mutant strain was referred to by Sosa et al. as strain 102.

Sosa FM, Ortega T, Barea JL (1978) Mutants from Chlamydomonas reinhardii affected in their nitrate assimilation capabiligy. Plant Sci Lett 11:51-58

Fernández E, Matagne RF (1984) Genetic analysis of nitrate reductase-deficient mutants in Chlamydomonas reinhardii. Curr Genet 8:635-640

From Emilio Fernandez, University of Cordoba, April 1993

The nit2-203 mutation was isolated by Sosa et al. in Sager’s 6145c strain after nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis.

Sosa FM, Ortega T, Barea JL (1978) Mutants from Chlamydomonas reinhardii affected in their nitrate assimilation capabiligy. Plant Sci Lett 11:51-58

Fernández E, Cárdenas J (1982) Regulation of the nitrate-reducing system enzymes in wild-type and mutant strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardii. Mol Gen Genet 186:164-169

Fernández E, Matagne RF (1984) Genetic analysis of nitrate reductase-deficient mutants in Chlamydomonas reinhardii. Curr Genet 8:635-640

Schnell RA, Lefebvre PA (1993) Isolation of the Chlamydomonas regulatory gene NIT2 by transposon tagging. Genetics 134:737-747

  • Locus:
  • NIT2
  • Chromosome:
  • 3

From Emilio Fernandez, University of Cordoba, April 1993

Phenotype: requires acetate; antibiotic resistant (streptomycin)

Aguilar et al. isolated two allelic mutants that were deficient in nitrate reductase activity and mapped to a new locus unlinked to the nit mutants previously analyzed. The nit7 mutants are defective in molybdopterin biosynthesis.

This is our primary stock of the nit7 mutation; we don’t have it free of other mutations.

Aguilar MR, Prieto R, Cárdenas J, Fernández E (1992) nit 7: A New Locus for Molybdopterin Cofactor Biosynthesis in the Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Plant Physiol 98:395-398

  • Locus:
  • AC17, NIT7, SR1
  • Chromosome:
  • 3,9

From Peter Luykx, University of Miami, June 1993, his PL17

Phenotype: lacks flagella, does not mate

This strain was isolated by a cross of a suppressed (motile) bld7 strain to wild type CC-124. CC-2904 is non-motile, and EM shows two very short flagella that barely extend beyond the cell wall. Also see CC-2906 bld7 sub7 mt+ and CC-2907 bld7 sub7 mt-, a pair of strains from the same cross that show a small percentage of cells with normal-length flagella. CC-2808 sub7 mt+ and CC-2909 sub7 mt- are the suppressor mutation alone and have essentially normal flagella.

From Peter Luykx, University of Miami, June 1993, his PL18

Phenotype: lacks flagella, does not mate

This strain was isolated by a cross of a suppressed (motile) bld7 strain to wild type CC-124. CC-2905 is non-motile, and EM shows two very short flagella that barely extend beyond the cell wall. Also see CC-2906 bld7 sub7 mt+ and CC-2907 bld7 sub7 mt-, a pair of strains from the same cross that show a small percentage of cells with normal-length flagella. CC-2808 sub7 mt+ and CC-2909 sub7 mt- are the suppressor mutation alone and have essentially normal flagella.

From Peter Luykx, University of Miami, June 1993, his PL19

This strain was isolated by a cross of a suppressed (motile) bld7 strain to wild type CC-124. CC-2906 bld7 sub7 mt+ and CC-2907 bld7 sub7 mt- are a pair of strains from the same cross that show a small percentage of cells with normal-length flagella. CC-2808 sub7 mt+ and CC-2909 sub7 mt- are the suppressor mutation alone and have essentially normal flagella.

From Peter Luykx, University of Miami, June 1993, his PL20

This strain was isolated by a cross of a suppressed (motile) bld7 strain to wild type CC-124. CC-2906 bld7 sub7 mt+ and CC-2907 bld7 sub7 mt- are a pair of strains from the same cross that show a small percentage of cells with normal-length flagella. CC-2808 sub7 mt+ and CC-2909 sub7 mt- are the suppressor mutation alone and have essentially normal flagella.

From Peter Luykx, University of Miami, June 1993, his PL21

This strain was isolated by a cross of a suppressed (motile) bld7 strain to wild type CC-124. CC-2906 bld7 sub7 mt+ and CC-2907 bld7 sub7 mt- are a pair of strains from the same cross that show a small percentage of cells with normal-length flagella. CC-2808 sub7 mt+ and CC-2909 sub7 mt- are the suppressor mutation alone and have essentially normal flagella.

From Peter Luykx, University of Miami, June 1993, his PL22

This strain was isolated by a cross of a suppressed (motile) bld7 strain to wild type CC-124. CC-2906 bld7 sub7 mt+ and CC-2907 bld7 sub7 mt- are a pair of strains from the same cross that show a small percentage of cells with normal-length flagella. CC-2808 sub7 mt+ and CC-2909 sub7 mt- are the suppressor mutation alone and have essentially normal flagella.

From Catherine Nicholson-Guthrie, Indiana University School of Medicine, June 1993, her #14

Phenotype: chlorophyll deficient, yellow under all growth conditions

The y-y strain, which is a UV-induced derivative of a y1 strain, fails to convert protochlorophyllide to chlorophyll either in the dark or in the light. These strains frequently acquire second-site suppressors and become green. CC-2911 is the best y-y in our collection currently. The American Type Culture Collection has these strains in frozen storage.

Nicholson-Guthrie CS (1983) Chlorophyll inheritance in Chlamydomonas. Masking of Y-1 gene by Y-Y gene. J Hered 74:16-18

Nicholson-Guthrie CS, Guthrie GD (1987) Accumulation of protoporphyrin-IX by the chlorophyll-less y-y mutant of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Arch Biochem Biophys 252:570-573