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Biological and molecular characterization of cellular differentiation in Tetrahymena vorax : A potential biocontrol protozoan
Author(s) -
Green Marino M.,
LeBoeuf Robert D.,
Churchill Perry F.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of basic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.58
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1521-4028
pISSN - 0233-111X
DOI - 10.1002/1521-4028(200012)40:5/6<351::aid-jobm351>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - biology , oligonucleotide , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , cellular differentiation , tetrahymena , genetics
Tetrahymena vorax ( T. vorax ) is an indigenous fresh water protozoan with the natural biological potential to maintain a specific aquatic microbial flora by ingesting and eliminating specific microorganism. To investigate the molecular mechanisms controlling Tetrahymena vorax ( T. vorax ) cellular differentiation from a small‐mouth vegetative cell to a voracious large‐mouth carnivore capable of ingesting prey ciliates and bacteria from aquatic environments, we use DNA subtraction and gene discovery techniques to identify and isolate T. vorax differentiation‐specific genes. The physiological necessity for one newly discovered gene, SUBII‐TG , was determined in vivo using an antisense oligonucleotide directed against the 5′ SUBII‐TG DNA sequence. The barriers to delivering antisense oligonucleotides to the cytoplasm of T. vorax were circumvented by employing a new but simple procedure of processing the oligonucleotide with the differentiation stimulus, stomatin. In these studies, the antisense oligonucleotide down‐regulated SUBII‐TG mRNA expression, and blocked differentiation and ingestion of prey ciliates. The ability to down‐regulate SUBII‐TG ex‐pression with the antisense oligonucleotide suggests that the molecular mechanisms controlling the natural biological activities of T. vorax can be manipulated to further study its cellular differentiation and potential as a biocontrol microorganism.