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Extrusion of a Protein‐Pigment Complex from Blepharisma undulans
Author(s) -
RAO A. V. S. PRABHAKARA
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1963.tb01662.x
Subject(s) - pigment , extrusion , ciliate , divalent , calcium , biophysics , chemistry , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , materials science , organic chemistry , metallurgy , paleontology
SYNOPSIS.Blepharisma undulans , a purple‐coloured ciliate protozoan, contains pigment granules in the ectoplasm. Treating the cells with 0.9% NaCl extruded the pigment into the medium without injury to the cells. The extrusion was instantaneous and with a single treatment about 35% of the total pigment oozed out. The pigment in the cells as well as in the saline extract was found to be associated with proteins and particulate fractions. The protozoa regenerated the pigment when transferred to culture fluid but not in dilute solution of saline, where they continued to live without regenerating the pigment. In addition to NaCl, sulphates of monovalent and divalent cations and calcium‐binding agents induced the extrusion, which, however, was prevented by calcium in all cases. It is proposed that the removal of calcium from the outer membrane by chemicals disintegrates the pellicle and produces the extrusion, since a majority of the pigment granules are in the subpellicular layers of the cell.