From David Mitchell, SUNY Upstate Medical University, January 2013

Phenotype: impaired motility

This strain was generated by insertional mutagenesis with pMN24 (NIT-1) into nit1-305, cw15. Two backcrosses to 137c were used to create a strain more compatible with other 137c-background strains in crosses. It is defective in outer dynein arm assembly and swims slowly; about 10% of WT dynein levels still assemble.


Ahmed NT, Mitchell DR (2005) ODA16p, a Chlamydomonas flagellar protein needed for dynein assembly. Mol Biol Cell 16:5004-5012

Ahmed NT, Gao C, Lucker BF, Cole DG, Mitchell DR (2008) ODA16 aids axonemal outer row dynein assembly through an interaction with the intraflagellar transport machinery. J Cell Biol 183:313-322


  • Locus:
  • ODA16
  • Chromosome:
  • 4

From David Mitchell, SUNY Upstate Medical University, January 2013

Phenotype: impaired motility

This strain was generated by insertional mutagenesis with pMN24 (NIT-1) into nit1-305, cw15. Two backcrosses to 137c were used to create a strain more compatible with other 137c-background strains in crosses. It is defective in outer dynein arm assembly and swims slowly; about 10% of WT dynein levels still assemble.


Ahmed NT, Mitchell DR (2005) ODA16p, a Chlamydomonas flagellar protein needed for dynein assembly. Mol Biol Cell 16:5004-5012

Ahmed NT, Gao C, Lucker BF, Cole DG, Mitchell DR (2008) ODA16 aids axonemal outer row dynein assembly through an interaction with the intraflagellar transport machinery. J Cell Biol 183:313-322


  • Locus:
  • ODA16
  • Chromosome:
  • 4

From David Mitchell, SUNY Upstate Medical University, January 2013

oda16-1 (mt-) was crossed with arg2 (mt+) to give oda16 arg2 which was co-transformed with ARG plasmid pJD67 and the ODA16 gene modified to express a 3xHA epitope tag at the carboxy-terminus. The swimming speed and dynein assembly rescued to WT.


Ahmed NT, Mitchell DR (2005) ODA16p, a Chlamydomonas flagellar protein needed for dynein assembly. Mol Biol Cell 16:5004-5012

Ahmed NT, Gao C, Lucker BF, Cole DG, Mitchell DR (2008) ODA16 aids axonemal outer row dynein assembly through an interaction with the intraflagellar transport machinery. J Cell Biol 183:313-322


  • Locus:
  • ODA16
  • Chromosome:
  • 4

From David Mitchell, SUNY Upstate Medical University, January 2013

Phenotype: impaired motility

This strain was selected from a cross between oda16-1 (mt-) and pf28 (mt+). It is more defective in outer dynein arm assembly than oda16 and displays reduced swimming speed below pf28.


Mitchell DR, Rosenbaum JL (1985) A motile Chlamydomonas flagellar mutant that lacks outer dynein arms. J Cell Biol 100:1228-34

Ahmed NT, Mitchell DR (2005) ODA16p, a Chlamydomonas flagellar protein needed for dynein assembly. Mol Biol Cell 16:5004-5012

Ahmed NT, Gao C, Lucker BF, Cole DG, Mitchell DR (2008) ODA16 aids axonemal outer row dynein assembly through an interaction with the intraflagellar transport machinery. J Cell Biol 183:313-322


  • Locus:
  • ODA16 [DHC6], PF28 [DHC15]
  • Chromosome:
  • 4,11

From Lai-Wa Tam, Lefebvre lab, University of Minnesota, January 2013


Tam LW, Ranum PT, Lefebvre PA (2013) CDKL5 regulates flagellar length and localizes to the base of the flagella in Chlamydomonas. Mol Biol Cell 24:588-600


  • Locus:
  • LF5
  • Chromosome:
  • 12

From Lai-Wa Tam, Lefebvre lab, University of Minnesota, January 2013

CDKL5 Regulates Flagellar Length and Localizes to the Base of the Flagella in Chlamydomonas.
Another lab has repotted this strain is mt-, and that the lf5 allele looks correct by PCR.


Tam LW, Ranum PT, Lefebvre PA (2013) CDKL5 regulates flagellar length and localizes to the base of the flagella in Chlamydomonas. Mol Biol Cell 24:588-600


  • Locus:
  • LF5
  • Chromosome:
  • 12

From Tasios Melis, University of California, Berkeley, January 2013

Phenotype: somewhat chlorophyll deficient

This strain does not grow photo-autotrophically in low light, as it has a small Chl antenna size. The tla3 phenotype may gradually be diluted with time (years) in cultivation (suppressor mutations?) but can be rescued upon crossing with a wild type, selecting for tla3. It was derived from the original tla3 upon crossing with 4A+ three times and with CC-124 once.


Kirst H, Garcia-Cerdan JG, Zurbriggen A, Ruehle T, Melis A (2012) Truncated photosystem chlorophyll antenna size in the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii upon deletion of the TLA3-CpSRP43 gene. Plant Physiol 160:2251-60

From Tasios Melis, University of California, Berkeley, January 2013

Phenotype: somewhat chlorophyll deficient

This strain does not grow photo-autotrophically in low light, as it has a small Chl antenna size. The tla3 phenotype may gradually be diluted with time (years) in cultivation (suppressor mutations?) but can be rescued upon crossing with a wild type, selecting for tla3. It was derived from the original tla3 upon crossing with 4A+ three times and with CC-124 once.


Kirst H, Garcia-Cerdan JG, Zurbriggen A, Ruehle T, Melis A (2012) Truncated photosystem chlorophyll antenna size in the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii upon deletion of the TLA3-CpSRP43 gene. Plant Physiol 160:2251-60

From Sean Gallaher, Merchant lab, UCLA, April 2013

This complemented strain was created by transformation of the BAFJ5 strain with the plasmid pSL-STA6 vector carrying a genomic copy of the wild-type STA6 gene and a paromomycin resistance cassette. This is #1 of 3 STA6 complemented strains.


Li Y, Han D, Hu G, Dauvillee D, Sommerfeld M, Ball S, Hu Q (2010) Chlamydomonas starchless mutant defective in ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase hyper-accumulates triacylglycerol. Metab Eng 12:387-391


  • Locus:
  • ARG7
  • Chromosome:
  • 1

From Sean Gallaher, Merchant lab, UCLA, April 2013

This complemented strain was created by transformation of the BAFJ5 strain with the plasmid pSL-STA6 vector carrying a genomic copy of the wild-type STA6 gene and a paromomycin resistance cassette. This is #2 of 3 STA6 complemented strains.


Li Y, Han D, Hu G, Dauvillee D, Sommerfeld M, Ball S, Hu Q (2010) Chlamydomonas starchless mutant defective in ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase hyper-accumulates triacylglycerol. Metab Eng 12:387-391


  • Locus:
  • ARG7
  • Chromosome:
  • 1

From Sean Gallaher, Merchant lab, UCLA, April 2013

This complemented strain was created by transformation of the BAFJ5 strain with the plasmid pSL-STA6 vector carrying a genomic copy of the wild-type STA6 gene and a paromomycin resistance cassette. This is #3 of 3 STA6 complemented strains.


Li Y, Han D, Hu G, Dauvillee D, Sommerfeld M, Ball S, Hu Q (2010) Chlamydomonas starchless mutant defective in ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase hyper-accumulates triacylglycerol. Metab Eng 12:387-391


  • Locus:
  • ARG7
  • Chromosome:
  • 1

From Sean Gallaher, Merchant lab, UCLA, April 2013

Phenotype: wall deficient, requires arginine

This is Ball strain 330 that was used as the background for isolation of several starch mutants including CC-4348. This strain was given to the Merchant group by David Dauvillée. It was sequenced by the Merchant / Pellegini group and determined to be the true parental strain of CC-4348 (sta6). This strain may be the same as CC-4324.


Dauvillée D, Colleoni C, Mouille G, Buléon A, Gallant DJ, Bouchet B, Morell MK, d'Hulst C, Myers AM, Ball SG (2001) Two loci control phytoglycogen production in the monocellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Plant Physiol 125:1710-22


  • Locus:
  • ARG7
  • Chromosome:
  • 1

From Ryosuke Yamamoto, Sale Lab, Emory University School of Medicine, April 2013


Yamamoto R, Song K, Yanagisawa HA, Fox L, Yagi T, Wirschell M, Hirono M, Kamiya R, Nicastro D, Sale WS (2013) The MIA complex is a conserved and novel dynein regulator essential for normal ciliary motility. J Cell Biol 15:201, 263-78


  • Locus:
  • MIA1
  • Chromosome:
  • 2

From Ryosuke Yamamoto, Sale Lab, Emory University School of Medicine, April 2013


Yamamoto R, Song K, Yanagisawa HA, Fox L, Yagi T, Wirschell M, Hirono M, Kamiya R, Nicastro D, Sale WS (2013) The MIA complex is a conserved and novel dynein regulator essential for normal ciliary motility. J Cell Biol 15:201, 263-78


  • Locus:
  • MIA1
  • Chromosome:
  • 2

From Ryosuke Yamamoto, Sale Lab, Emory University School of Medicine, April 2013


Yamamoto R, Song K, Yanagisawa HA, Fox L, Yagi T, Wirschell M, Hirono M, Kamiya R, Nicastro D, Sale WS (2013) The MIA complex is a conserved and novel dynein regulator essential for normal ciliary motility. J Cell Biol 15:201, 263-78


  • Locus:
  • MIA1
  • Chromosome:
  • 2

From Mary Porter, University of Minnesota, July 2013


Wren KN, Craft JM, Tritschler D, Schauer A, Patel DK, Smith EF, Porter ME, Kner P, Lechtreck KF. (2013) A differential cargo-loading model of ciliary length regulation by IFT. Curr Biol. 23:2463-71


  • Locus:
  • PF2
  • Chromosome:
  • 11

From Mary Porter, University of Minnesota, July 2013

From Mary Porter, University of Minnesota, July 2013

From Lai-Wa Tam, Lefebvre lab, University of Minnesota, July 2013

The lf2-3 mutant was first described by Barsel. D51 was made by Cathy Asleson in the Lefebvre lab.


Barsel SE, Wexler DE, Lefebvre PA (1988) Genetic analysis of long-flagella mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Genetics 118:637-48

Asleson CM, Lefebvre PA (1998) Genetic analysis of flagellar length control in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: a new long-flagella locus and extragenic suppressor mutations. Genetics 148:693-702


  • Locus:
  • LF2, ARG7
  • Chromosome:
  • 12,1

From Lai-Wa Tam, Lefebvre lab, University of Minnesota, July 2013


Tam LW, Wilson NF, Lefebvre PA (2007) A CDK-related kinase regulates the length and assembly of flagella in Chlamydomonas. J Cell Biol 12:176, 819-29


  • Locus:
  • LF2
  • Chromosome:
  • 12

From Lai-Wa Tam, Lefebvre lab, University of Minnesota, July 2013


Tam LW, Wilson NF, Lefebvre PA (2007) A CDK-related kinase regulates the length and assembly of flagella in Chlamydomonas. J Cell Biol 12:176, 819-29


  • Locus:
  • LF2
  • Chromosome:
  • 12

From Barb Sears, Michigan State University, August 2013

Phenotype: dies in the dark

This strain was produced to provide a cell line for genetic engineering of the mitochondrion.


  • Locus:
  • cox1
  • Chromosome:
  • mitochondrial

From Barb Sears, Michigan State University, August 2013

The cpDNA carries an out-of-frame (OF) 28-bp insertion composed of 7x [GAAA] in the sixth codon position of the rbcL gene. This is linked to the aadA gene, which confers spectinomycin-resistance. This strain is sensitive to high light because of the disrupted rbcL gene.


GuhaMajumdar M, Dawson-Baglien E, Sears BB (2008) Creation of a chloroplast microsatellite reporter for detection of replication slippage in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Eukaryot Cell 7:639-646


  • Locus:
  • rbcL
  • Chromosome:
  • chloroplast

From Barb Sears, Michigan State University, August 2013

The cpDNA carries an in-frame 24-bp insertion composed of 6x [GAAA] in the sixth codon position of the rbcL gene, which results in an eight amino acid in-frame insertion. This is linked to the aadA gene, which confers spectinomycin-resistance.


GuhaMajumdar M, Dawson-Baglien E, Sears BB (2008) Creation of a chloroplast microsatellite reporter for detection of replication slippage in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Eukaryot Cell 7:639-646


  • Locus:
  • rbcL
  • Chromosome:
  • chloroplast

From Barb Sears, Michigan State University, August 2013


  • Locus:
  • NIT1, ARG7
  • Chromosome:
  • 9,1

From Barb Sears, Michigan State University, August 2013

This strain accumulates less triacylglycerol during nitrogen starvation than do wild-type cells.


Li X, Moellering ER, Liu B, Johnny C, Fedewa M, Sears BB, Kuo MH, Benning C (2012) A galactoglycerolipid lipase is required for triacylglycerol accumulation and survival following nitrogen deprivation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Plant Cell 24:4670-86

From Barb Sears, Michigan State University, August 2013

A 12-bp deletion in the rrnS gene of the cpDNA results in spectinomycin-resistance. Isolated from a spontaneous mutation occurring in CC-125.


Sears BB, Blaine A, Guha-Majumdar M, Enell MR, Nagoria A, Kleinman M, Mayle R, Nguyen N (2010) Novel mutations to spectinomycin resistance in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. 14th International Conference on the Cell and Molecular Biology of Chlamydomonas, Norton, Massachusetts

From Barb Sears, Michigan State University, August 2013

Spectinomycin resistance due to base substitution C G at base 1124 of the rrnS gene on the cpDNA. Isolated from a spontaneous mutation occurring in CC-125.


Sears BB, Guha Majumdar M, Nguyen N, Enell M, Blaine A (2006) Spontaneous base substitutions in the chloroplast vary in response to growth conditions. 12th International Conference on the Cell and Molecular Biology of Chlamydomonas, Portland

From Duanmu Deqiang, Lagarias lab, University of California Davis, 8/22/13

To create this isolate, bilin-binding cyanobacteriochrome (CBCR) reporter NpF2164g5 from the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme was transformed into the chloroplast genome of 4A+ (CC-4051).

The transformant line is resistant to 500 μg/mL Spectinomycin. The purified NpF2164g5 was shown to possess a covalently bound PCB chromophore. This line (#6) has higher level of protein expression.


Duanmu D, Casero D, Dent RM, Gallaher S, Yang W, Rockwell NC, Martin SS, Pellegrini M, Niyogi KK, Merchant SS, Grossman AR, Lagarias JC (2013) Retrograde bilin signaling enables Chlamydomonas greening and phototrophic survival. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110:3621-3626

From Duanmu Deqiang, Lagarias lab, University of California Davis, 8/22/13

To create this isolate, bilin-binding cyanobacteriochrome (CBCR) reporter NpF2164g5 from the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme was transformed into the chloroplast genome of 4A+ (CC-4051).

This transformant line is resistant to 500 μg/mL Spectinomycin. The purified NpF2164g5 was shown to possess a covalently bound PCB chromophore. This line (#13) has higher level of protein expression.


Duanmu D, Casero D, Dent RM, Gallaher S, Yang W, Rockwell NC, Martin SS, Pellegrini M, Niyogi KK, Merchant SS, Grossman AR, Lagarias JC (2013) Retrograde bilin signaling enables Chlamydomonas greening and phototrophic survival. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110:3621-3626


  • Locus:
  • Chromosome:
  • chloroplast