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Flagellar Photoresponses of Chlamydomonas Cells Held on Micropipettes: III. Shock Response
Author(s) -
Rüffer Ursula,
Nultsch W.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
botanica acta
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.871
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1438-8677
pISSN - 0932-8629
DOI - 10.1111/j.1438-8677.1995.tb00858.x
Subject(s) - chlamydomonas , flagellum , axoneme , biophysics , shock (circulatory) , biology , microtubule , ultrastructure , microbiology and biotechnology , basal body , pipette , anatomy , chemistry , mutant , genetics , medicine , gene
Using high‐speed microcinematography flagellar shock responses of a great number of Chlamydomonas cells, free‐swimming as well as immobilized on micropipettes, were investigated in this study. Responses were elicited by flashes, by blue, red or white light steps or occurred “spontaneously”. A large variety of shock responses has been found, in part due to various kinds of flagellar deactivations. Typical courses of flagellar responses are described in detail. The major part of the analyzed responses consists of a transition back from undulatory beats, characteristic for shock responses, to the normal breaststroke beats, probably as a result of a decreasing Ca ++ concentration at the axoneme. It is known that undulatory beats are triggered by a transient strong influx of Ca ++ ions into the flagella. Responses are initiated simultaneously in the two flagella but are finished independently. Differences in cis (= next to the stigma) and trans (= far from it) flagella were observed but were not consistent. The origin of the deactivations during the shock responses is discussed, as well as an involvement of basal body‐associated structures in flagellar beating and in the change between the two beating modes. The comparison of the two fundamentally different types of beating and a close study of transitional beats may convey insight into the complexity of flagellar beating in Chlamydomonas .