Enzyme systems in Tetrahymena geleii S. II. Acetylcholinesterase activity. Its relation to motility of the organism and to coordinated ciliary action in general
✍ Scribed by Seaman, Gerald R. ;Houlihan, Robert K.
- Publisher
- Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
- Year
- 1951
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 650 KB
- Volume
- 37
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0095-9898
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✦ Synopsis
In the course of a general survey of enzyme systems in the ciliate Tcltrahyinena geleii S, it was found that the organism contains a n active acetylcholinesterase (ACliE) system. It was thought that this was the first demonstration of the system in a protozoan. A search of the literature, however, revealed that Beyer and Wense ( '36) found acetylcholine (Am) as well as the esterase in Parawecium sp. Bulbring, Lourie and Pardoe ('49) demonstrated tlie prcsence of ACh in T r y p n ~z o s o m a rhodesiense, but not in the blood form of Plasmoclizri~ gnlli.lznceuw~ These authors suggest that the presence of ACh in T . r 7 ~~2 c s i e m e but not in Plasnaodiunr may be correlated with the fact that the former is highly motile, whereas the blood form of tlie latter is non-motile.
The present investigation was tlierefore undcrtaken with the view of ascertaining the possible relationship between ciliary motion (the undulating membrane of trppaiiosomes being modified ciliation) and AChE activity.