Assessment of the roles of endogenous and environmental cues controlling cell size distribution and sexual reproduction in benthic diatom populations Ghent University
The evolutionary success of diatoms is often attributed to their unique life cycle, consisting of a long vegetative phase during which cell size gradually diminishes and a short sexual phase which is vital to restore cells to their original size. The life cycle is often described as a ‘sex clock’, and for a long time was hypothesized to be a self-sustained periodic process. Recent models, however, suggest that environmental conditions ...