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Adenosine Triphosphate Acceleration of the Nephridial Apparatus of Paramecium multimicronucleatum *
Author(s) -
ORGAN ALAN E.,
BOVEE EUGENE C.,
JAHN THEODORE L.
Publication year - 1968
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.1550-7408.1968.tb02106.x
Subject(s) - cycling , adenosine triphosphate , paramecium , biophysics , biology , chemistry , zoology , biochemistry , archaeology , history
SYNOPSIS.Paramecium multimicronucleatum was exposed to various external concentrations of adenosine triphosphate (Na 2 ATP) to determine the effects thereof on the cycling rate of the nephridial apparatus. Normal rate was found to vary from 3.46 to 4.28 cycles/min with a mean rate of 3.85 cycles/min at 20 C. Concentrations of ATP of less than 5 × 10 −4 M caused only slight, very temporary acceleration of the cycling rate. At 5 × 10 −4 M the cycling rate was accelerated less than 15%. At 3 × 10 −3 M cycling rate was accelerated, varying from 5.35 to 7.24 cycles/min, with a mean accelerated rate of 6.25 cycles/min, a mean aoceleration of 88.3%. Changes in rate after addition of 5 × 10 −3 M ATP ranged from a decrease of 6.2% to an increase of 1.8%, with the nephridial apparatus ultimately stopping. At higher concentrations, stoppage was almost immediate. Paramecium is rapidly dehydrated by the ATP‐accelerated cycling of its nephridial apparatuses, with a net loss of 27% of its volume in 6 minutes in the 3 × 10 −3 M ATP.