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Profiles of conjugation induction by potassium ions in four different Ca 2+ channel mutants of Paramecium caudatum
Author(s) -
Takahashi Mihoko,
Shirakura Shinichi
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
development, growth and differentiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1440-169X
pISSN - 0012-1592
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-169x.1996.00006.x
Subject(s) - paramecium caudatum , mutant , paramecium , biophysics , locus (genetics) , chemistry , potassium , gene , biochemistry , biology , organic chemistry
Conjugation of Paramecium caudatum among cells of a single mating type can be induced parthenogenetically by exposing them to certain chemical solutions, a process called chemical induction of conjugation. The ionic conditions for chemical induction of conjugation are also the conditions that are required for the induction of the activation of voltage dependent Ca 2+ channels in Paramecium . Four mutants controlled by independent gene loci with defects in Ca 2+ channels, were subjected to an induction solution containing various concentrations of KCl and 0.01, 0.06 and 0.6 mmol/L CaCl 2 . Conjugation was able to be induced chemically in all four mutants. However, some locus‐dependent differences were observed in the profiles of induction. Mutants controlled by different alleles but with the same locus were similar in their profile of induction, even when they exhibited opposite phenotypes on the activation of Ca 2+ channels. These results suggest that the function of Ca 2+ channels is not directly involved in the mechanism of chemical induction of conjugation. The locus dependency observed reflects the different role of each gene controlling Ca 2+ channel functions.