A possible mechanism of chemical induction of conjugation inParamecium: Importance of cationic exchange on the cell surface
✍ Scribed by Kitamura, Akio ;Hiwatashi, Koichi
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1984
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 428 KB
- Volume
- 231
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0022-104X
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
The effect of calcium ions on the chemical induction of conjugation in Paramecium caudatum was examined in the simplest medium that induces conjugation, containing either KCI or MnCl~2~ in TRIS‐HCI buffer. The concentration of K ions necessary for induction increased with the concentration of Ca ions added. The maximum induction of conjugation took place at a constant ratio of the K^+^ concentration to the square root of the Ca^2+^ concentration regardless of their ionic strengths. Similar results were obtained in the induction by Mn^2+^, where the square root of the Mn^2+^ concentration is proportional to the square root of the Ca^2+^ concentration for maximum induction. The results strongly suggest that the activation for conjugation is closely related to removal of Caions bound to the cell surface and that an ion exchange system on the cell surface governed by Gibbs‐Donnan principle has an essential role in the chemical induction of conjugation in Paramecium.