Recent Advances in Research on the Marine Alga Acetabularia

This chapter draws attention to the most significant recent advances in research on Acetabularia and related Dasycladales. Progress in research on Acetabularia and related Dasycladales has been particularly rapid in the past few years. The foundation of an “International Research Group on Acetabularia” and the organization of three international symposia have greatly stimulated investigations on these giant unicellular marine algae. New ideas have arisen from these meetings and what is equally important, a sincere wish for international collaboration. Acetabularia is certainly one of the most useful organisms for studies on cellular growth and differentiation in the absence of the nucleus. It is particularly suitable for investigating the subtle relationships, which exist between nucleus and cytoplasm and for examining the intergenomic cooperation inside the eukaryotic cell. The possibility of obtaining anucleate cells or cell fragments, regenerating nucleate basal parts, cytoplasts, isolated nuclei and organelles permits various types of in vivo and in vitro biological and biochemical experiments. Moreover, elegant intra- and interspecific grafts are possible with different species of Acetabularia.