FISSION YEAST Meaning and
Definition
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Fission yeast, scientifically known as Schizosaccharomyces pombe, is a type of single-celled yeast that undergoes a process of cell division called fission or binary fission. It belongs to the group of fungi known as ascomycetes and is commonly used as a model organism in cell biology and genetics research due to its many advantageous features.
Fission yeast typically measure about 4 to 7 micrometers in length and have a cylindrical shape. They reproduce by a process known as fission, where a parent cell divides into two identical daughter cells. This asexual mode of reproduction makes fission yeast an ideal organism for studying cell cycle regulation and cell division processes.
Unlike budding yeast, another commonly used model organism in yeast research, fission yeast has a closed mitosis, meaning that its nucleus remains intact throughout the cell division process. This characteristic enables researchers to study the mechanisms that ensure proper chromosome segregation and inheritance.
Fission yeast can grow in simple laboratory media, making it easy to culture and manipulate in a laboratory setting. It has a relatively small genome, containing about 5,000 genes, which makes it more manageable for genetic studies. Additionally, fission yeast shares many cellular processes and regulatory pathways with higher eukaryotes, including mammals, making it a valuable tool in understanding fundamental biological processes.
The use of fission yeast as a model organism has led to significant contributions in a wide range of research fields, including cell cycle regulation, DNA repair, cell polarity, and gene expression.
Common Misspellings for FISSION YEAST
Etymology of FISSION YEAST
The term "fission yeast" is a combination of two words: "fission" and "yeast".
1. Fission: The word "fission" comes from the Latin word "fissiō", which means "a splitting" or "a breaking into parts". In the context of biology, fission refers to the process of cell division where a single parent cell splits into two or more daughter cells. In the case of yeast, which is a type of single-celled organism, fission occurs during cell reproduction.
2. Yeast: The word "yeast" has Old English origins and can be traced back to the Old English word "gist". It has also been linked to the Old High German word "jesen" and the Gothic word "jais". Yeasts are unicellular fungi that primarily reproduce through budding or fission, making them an important organism for scientific research and industrial applications.
