Although the cells we used for this workshop were grown in a bacteria-free medium, Tetrahymena do eat
bacteria or other small cells, and organic debris by the process of phagocytosis
. When a hungry Tetrahymena encounters food, it uses its cilia to sweep the food into the cell’s oral groove.
How many food vacuoles does Tetrahymena have?
After 20 minutes of feeding time, the average number of vacuoles per Tetrahymena remained constant at about
10 vacuoles
, as shown by the near-zero rate of vacuole formation (0.005 food vacuoles per minute).
What can affect phagocytosis in Tetrahymena?
2002).
Time and concentration of food particles
are just a few of the important factors that can have an effect on phagocytosis (Fok et al. 1988).
What temperature does Tetrahymena prefer?
thermophila live in temperate freshwater environments. With a doubling time of less than 2 hours, it is considered one of the fastest growing eukaryotes. It can readily grow to a high density on a wide range of media, with a temperature range of
12 °C to 41 °C. T.
Is microtubule polymerization required for the process of phagocytosis in Tetrahymena piriformis?
Colchicine, an inhibitor of microtubule polymerization, was used to study the effect of microtubules on phagocytosis and egestion. … The data indicate that
microtubules are necessary
for phagocytosis.
How does temperature affect Tetrahymena?
Phagocytosis and the formation of food vacuoles are essential processes involved in the growth and development of Tetrahymena thermophila populations. Temperature has an
effect on both membrane fluidity and the rate of protein synthesis
, which ultimately influence the efficiency of phagocytosis.
How pH affects Tetrahymena?
thermophila formed more food vacuoles and at a higher rate at pH 7, while pH 5 displayed dramatically less vacuole formation. … Considering that the natural habitats of Tetrahymena are usually at pH levels of
approximately 7
, we can infer that this is the state in which this microorganism is most comfortable.
How does Tetrahymena reproduce?
The life cycle of T. thermophila consists of an alternation between asexual and sexual stages. In nutrient rich media during vegetative growth cells reproduce asexually by
binary fission
. … Only during starvation conditions will cells commit to sexual conjugation, pairing and fusing with a cell of opposite mating type.
Where are Tetrahymena found?
Tetrahymena typically is found in
freshwater lakes, ponds, and streams in association with submerged or emergent vegetation
. The genus consists of numerous breeding species with micronuclei and many asexual species without micronuclei.
What is the optimal growth conditions for Tetrahymena?
In such a system, Tetrahymena can be kept under optimal growth conditions with a
generation time of less than 3 h
, and any cell density may be maintained for extended periods of time.
Is Tetrahymena a protist?
Tetrahymena thermophila has emerged as an
excellent protist model
for studies on cilia that are based on reverse genetic approaches. In Tetrahymena, genes can be routinely disrupted by the DNA homologous recombination.
What causes catastrophe of the microtubule in vitro?
What causes catastrophe of the microtubule in vitro? … The
microtubule would treadmill until the new tubulin, with non-hydrolyzable GTP, reached the minus end
, and then it would only extend at the plus end.
Why do we use Tetrahymena to study phagocytosis?
Because phagocytosis in Tetrahymena is
such a dramatic cell behavior
, it is a good exercise for introducing students to microscope use. When hungry Tetrahymena encounter food, they use their cilia to sweep it into each cell’s oral groove.
How does temperature affect phagocytosis?
Results: A
temperature of 40°C significantly increased the number of phagocytic cells and the phagocytic index by 41 and 37%
respectively, as compared to cells incubated at 37°C.
How does temperature affect the vacuole?
Temperature has an effect on
both membrane fluidity and the rate of protein synthesis
, which ultimately influence the efficiency of phagocytosis. … Our results suggest that the rate of food vacuole formation increases with both temperature and acclimation time.
How is Tetrahymena treated?
Chemicals were tested in vitro by a colorimetric assay for Tetrahymena survival. The most effective were niclosamide,
albendazole
and chloroquine, with 23%, 35% and 60% survival, respectively, following 2-h exposure to 100 ppm. Longer incubation periods resulted in greater reductions in survival.
