Need help from tissue culture experts

[Cloud_D]

Hello everyone,

I need some help on a question for my assignment. We're working on growing fern gametophytes using tissue culture and were asked why we need to add sucrose into the nutrient medium.

I'm guessing it's the primary carbon source for the fern. Is this correct? Can anyone help with with this?

Very much appreciated. Thanks!

[mith]

Does your medium contain any other possible carbon sources?

[MrMistery]

well it depends on what fern you are growing. Some ferns have a gametophyte that can perform photosynthesis. Others cannot, and therefore need to be supplied with external acetyl groups, as those from sucrose

[Cloud_D]

mith> I'm not too sure about that. I'm assuming no.

MrMistery> According to my lecturer, the fern doesn't photosynthesize. Could you tell me more about the acetyl groups? Why do the gametophyte need them?

[mith]

If it doesn't photosynthesize and doesnt have any other carbon source(agar or the like) sounds like your first assumption is right.

[MrMistery]

I used acetyl groups instead of dave's carbon source because it is more accurate. It is the acetyl groups that are necessary for a cell to make ATP for cellular respiration. Plants can make their own acetyl groups by photosynthesis, but heterotrophic organisms cannot. It makes more sense to me than say carbon because if you eat CCl4 for example, there won't be much gain of energy

[Cloud_D]

Thanks you guys. I've also been able to find out some information on the net. Apparantly, sucrose can help in the germination of certain species too.

[MrMistery]

Really? How?