Summary
The effects on subcellular morphology of maintaining amoebae at temperatures other than 20 ‡C (the routine culture temperature) were assessed. Estimations of cycling potential at each temperature confirmed that acclimation had affected gross cell functioning. Generation times ranged from no division at 6 ‡C, to an optimal minimum of 2 days at 22 ‡C.
Organelle morphology changes were studied after 5 days of growth at the new temperatures; alterations were most evident at the extremes of 6 and 28 ‡C. The main mitochondrial alteration resulted in changes to the ratio of Type I: Type II organelles; with a decrease in Type I forms away from the optimal range of 20–22 ‡C. Extended culturing at 6 ‡C generated mitochondrial matrical inclusions. Ribosomal attachment to the endoplasmic reticulum, a common feature of 20 ‡C-grown cells, decreased at the temperature extremes, where an increase in free ribosomes occurred. Upon extended culture at 6 ‡C helical structures, usually observed in groups only within the nucleus, were also present in the cytoplasm. Golgi complexes were less common in cells maintained at extreme temperatures and often showed differences in shape. These changes were all reversible on a return to culturing at 20 ‡C.
The possible functional significance of these findings is discussed.
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Smith, R.A. Growth temperature acclimation byAmoeba proteus: Effects on cytoplasmic organelle morphology. Protoplasma 101, 23–35 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01293432
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01293432