2026/02/19 by Cameron Dale MacQuarrie, David G. Mets · 1 voice
Physics and Astronomy · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Energy · #Micro and Nano Robotics #Microtubule and mitosis dynamics #Algal biology and biofuel production
paper · doi:10.57844/arcadia-q58n-51bk
openalex publication_date 2026/02/19 · openalex created_date 2026/02/20 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/16
While characterizing phenotypic differences between interfertile Chlamydomonas species, we discovered that C. smithii — but not C. reinhardtii — can grow on marine media. In our previous publication, we documented that cells became "larger and rounded" when grown on Marine Broth 2216 agar supplemented with L1 nutrients, but we'd resuspended those cells in water, which could have caused osmotic swelling. Here, we examined cells grown on solid Marine Broth 2216 agar and imaged in liquid Marine Broth 2216, revealing far more extreme morphological transformations than we initially observed. We're sharing these findings to document this remarkable plasticity and invite feedback on mechanisms, similar phenomena in other systems, and experimental priorities.