1. LON-CAPA Logo
  2. Help
  3. Log In
 

C-Fern Logo  C-Fern
C O N T E N T S
C-Fern Home
Web Manual
  Introduction
  C-Fern Nutrient Medium
  Culture Conditions
  Gametophyte Culture
  Gametophyte Observations
  Sporophyte Culture
  Spore Mutagenesis
  Bibliography

Other Resources

  Light Stand
  Growth Pod
  DNA Extraction
  C-Fern T-shirt
  Who's Who
  Selection and mutants
  Media formulation error
  Image gallery
Web Journal
Educational Resources
  National Science Standards
  Gametophyte development
  Student research questions
  Research in the classroom
  Research with C-Fern
  Brief description of C-Fern
  C-Fern manipulation
  Root tropism?
Frequently Asked Questions
Workshop and Exhibit Schedule
 Educational Materials
  Investigations
  Mutant & wild type spores
  Manual & Culture Instructions
  Supplies - Domes, media
Have questions?
Contact the C-Fern Project
cfern@utk.edu
 Supported, in part, by the National Science Foundation - Division of Undergraduate Education
Development of C-Fern is supported
by the National Science Foundation (NSF-DUE)
Copyright © 1997-2000
Thomas R. Warne and
Leslie G. Hickok.
All rights reserved.

C-Fern Sport Report

 
Hermaphroditic and male C-Fern gametophytes
dark germinator (dkg1)


This is a fascinating mutation that shows a reversal in the light requirement for germination of C-Fern spores. In wild type, light (red) is necessary for spore germination. However, in spores containing the dkg1 mutation, germination occurs readily in the complete absence of light. Use of this mutant allows investigations of gametophyte growth and development to be conducted in the dark or by using specific wavelengths of light without the requirement to expose spores to red or white light to initiate germination. Another interesting aspect of this mutation is that germination in white light is substantially reduced relative to its germination in the dark.

Cooke, T., L. Hickok, W. J. Vanderwoude, J. Banks and R. Scott. 1993. Photobiological characterization of a spore germination mutant with reversed photoregulation in the fern Ceratopteris richardii. Photochem. Photobiol. 57:1032-1041

Cooke, T.J., L. G. Hickok, and M. Sugai. 1995. The fern Ceratopteris richardii as a lower plant model system for studying the genetic regulation of plant photomorphogenesis. International Journal of Plant Science 156:367-373