ALTERATIONS IN NUTRITIONAL AND METABOLIC PATTERNS OF TETRAHYMENA DURING FACULTATIVE PARASITISM

Abstract

This chapter discusses the alterations in nutritional and metabolic patterns of tetrahymena during facultative parasitism. Studies were carried out of the incorporation of C14-l-leucine into both free-living and roach-recovered ciliates. Proteose peptone-yeast extract cultures of both free-living and roach-recovered cells were washed, concentrated, and incubated for 1 h. With C14-l-leucine under various conditions; in water, in an amino acid mixture, a purine and pyrimidine mixture, a mixture of inorganic salts, a vitamin mixture, and a complete medium. When amino acids were included in the mixtures, unlabeled leucine was omitted to avoid radioactive dilution effects. In the various mixtures, the total incorporation into the cold trichloracetic acid-insoluble fraction was measured. The fractions were further subdivided into their protein, DNA, and RNA components by the Schmidt–Thannhauser procedure.