Premium
The Stalk of the Suctorian Tokophrya infusionum: Histochemistry, Biochemistry, and Physiology
Author(s) -
HASCALL GRETCHEN K.
Publication year - 1973
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.1550-7408.1973.tb03602.x
Subject(s) - stalk , metamorphosis , biochemistry , biology , chemistry , botany , larva , horticulture
SYNOPSIS Tokophrya infusionum , a sessile suctorian with an external stalk and adhesive disc, has in its life cycle a ciliated, swimming embryo which metamorphoses into the adult form. The addition of NiCl 2 to the medium induced metamorphosis immediately; however, other salts had no effect. Incomplete metamorphosis, without stalk formation, occurred if the organism began metamorphosis before its anterior (stalk‐forming) end touched a substrate. The stalk was studied by histochemical and biochemical technics to determine its composition. The stalk stained with mercury‐bromphenol blue, and Alcian blue under a variety of conditions, but not with PAS. These results suggest that the stalk contains protein and sulfate groups, possibly in the form of a sulfated protein‐polysaccharide. The stalk was insoluble in several common laboratory reagents, but did dissolve in hot 6 N HCl, 2 N NaOH, and papain. It was evident from amino acid analysis of the stalk and of the whole organism that 15% of the total protein is located in the stalk.