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A Role of Calcium Ions in Chemical Induction of Mating in Paramecium tetraurelia *
Author(s) -
CRONKITE DONALD L.
Publication year - 1976
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.1550-7408.1976.tb03804.x
Subject(s) - paramecium , mating , acriflavine , calcium , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , chemistry , gene , mating type , biophysics , biochemistry , genetics , organic chemistry
SYNOPSIS. Conjugation in Paramecium tetraurelia can be induced within mating‐reactive cultures of a single mating type by treating the cells with solutions of KC1 + acriflavine in culture medium low in Ca 2+ . Gene mutations with known physiologic effect were used as selective inhibitors of cell surface membrane function to see which functions are necessary for chemical induction of conjugation. The results strongly suggest that a transient increase in the internal concentration of calcium at the very beginning of chemical induction is a necessary but not sufficient step.