Effects of increased salinity on gravitaxis in Euglena gracilis

The unicellular freshwater flagellate Euglena gracilis regulates its position in the water column by means of phototactic and gravitactic behavior. Recent experiments have revealed that the cells switch between negative and positive gravitaxis depending upon environmental stimuli such as solar radia...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:Journal of plant physiology. - 1979. - 160(2003), 6 vom: 09. Juni, Seite 651-6
1. Verfasser: Richter, Peter (VerfasserIn)
Weitere Verfasser: Börnig, Anke, Streb, Christine, Ntefidou, Maria, Lebert, Michael, Häder, Donat P
Format: Aufsatz
Sprache:English
Veröffentlicht: 2003
Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk:Journal of plant physiology
Schlagworte:Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Pigments, Biological Carotenoids 36-88-4 Sodium Chloride 451W47IQ8X
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:The unicellular freshwater flagellate Euglena gracilis regulates its position in the water column by means of phototactic and gravitactic behavior. Recent experiments have revealed that the cells switch between negative and positive gravitaxis depending upon environmental stimuli such as solar radiation. In this study, the effect of increased salinity on gravitaxis in Euglena gracilis was investigated. In some experiments it was found that salt concentrations up to 5 gL-1 (in some experiments 10 gL-1) increased the motility, velocity and precision of negative gravitactic orientation. Higher salt concentrations decreased all these parameters. At concentrations of about 15 gL-1, cells which did not become immobile, switched from negative to positive gravitaxis. Positive gravitaxis persisted for several hours or even days when the cells were transferred back to standard culture medium. Most of the cells in cultures exposed to salt concentrations above 20 gL-1 lost their motility (partial formation of palmella stages) but recovered when transferred back to standard medium or de-ionised water. Post recovery, the cells showed pronounced positive gravitaxis. Additional investigations on the pigmentation, revealed that the cells showed a complete loss of a carotenoid shoulder in the spectrum, which reappeared when the cells were brought back to standard medium
Beschreibung:Date Completed 10.12.2003
Date Revised 30.09.2020
published: Print
Citation Status MEDLINE
ISSN:1618-1328