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Transformation in Tetrahymena pyriformis : Description of an Inducible Phenotype * †
Author(s) -
NELSEN E. MARLO,
DEBAULT LAWRENCE E.
Publication year - 1978
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.1550-7408.1978.tb03880.x
Subject(s) - tetrahymena pyriformis , tetrahymena , cilium , biology , basal body , transformation (genetics) , phenotype , cell division , mitosis , ciliata , microbiology and biotechnology , dna , morphogenesis , cell , genetics , protozoa , flagellum , gene
SYNOPSIS. Transformation of Tetrahymena pyriformis to a rapid‐swimming (presumably dispersal) form can be induced by washing cells and suspending them in distilled H 2 O, Dryl's solution or 10 m m Tris. Transformation is possible with high efficiency in mass cultures of axenically grown cells within ∼ 5 h at 30 C. The radically different phenotype produced during transformation is characterized by a more elongate body form, increased numbers of somatic basal bodies and cilia, a long caudal cilium and oral membranelles positioned beneath the cell surface. DNA quantities characteristic of G1, S, and G2 cells are found in these transformed ciliates, suggesting that achievement of a particular stage in the DNA‐division cycle is not a prerequisite for transformation. Preliminary observations on cells belonging to syngens 2–12 indicate that they also have a capacity to form a caudal cilium, but that the amicronucleate strain GL‐C does not. Possible relevance of the transformed phenotype for taxonomy of Tetrahymena is discussed.