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Chemical Offense by Means of Toxicysts in the Freshwater Ciliate, Coleps hirtus
Author(s) -
Buonanno Federico,
Anesi Andrea,
Guella Graziano,
Kumar Santosh,
Bharti Daizy,
La Terza Antonietta,
Quassinti Luana,
Bramucci Massimo,
Ortenzi Claudio
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of eukaryotic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 1066-5234
DOI - 10.1111/jeu.12106
Subject(s) - ciliate , biology , algae , botany , odor , zoology , ecology , neuroscience
Abstract Coleps hirtus is a small common freshwater ciliate belonging to the protostomatid group, its body covered by calcified plates assembled to form an armor. Coleps feeds on bacteria, algae, flagellates, living and dead ciliates, animal and plant tissues. To assist its carnivorous feeding the ciliate is equipped with offensive extrusomes (toxicysts), clustering mainly in and around its oral aperture. In this study, we isolated the discharge of the toxicysts from living cells, evaluating its cytotoxic effects against various ciliate species, and demonstrating that it is essential for the effectiveness of Coleps ’ predatory behavior. The analysis of the toxicyst discharge performed by liquid chromatography‐electrospray‐mass spectrometry and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry, revealed the presence of a mixture of 19 saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated free fatty acids with the addition of a minor amount of a diterpenoid (phytanic acid).