Abstract
Five enzymes (succinic dehydrogenase isocitrate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, and fumarase) in the ciliate Paramecium aurelia have been examined by starch gel electrophoresis. Relatively few variants were found among stocks belonging to a given syngen and only in two out of the five enzymes studied. Comparison of stocks belonging to different syngens, however, revealed many enzyme differences, which did not resemble intrasyngen variants. By studying the electrophoretic patterns of the enzymes of the 14 described syngens of Paramecium aurelia, it was found that only two syngens (Nos. 1 and 5) were indistinguishable. It is concluded that the use of starch gel electrophoresis of suitable enzymes provides a method of assigning a stock of paramecia to its syngen. Such a method may, in some cases, be less laborious than the standard one of making test matings and would, of course, be available for organisms which show no mating reaction.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen, S. L. (1965). Genetic control of enzymes in Tetrahymena. Brookhaven Symp. Biol. 18 27.
Allen, S. L., and Gibson, I. (1970). Genetics of Tetrahymena. In Elliott, A. M. (ed.), Biology of Tetrahymena, Appleton, Century, Crofts Inc., New York (in press).
Fine, I. H., and Costello, L. A. (1963). Use of starch electrophoresis in dehydrogenase studies. Meth. Enz. 6 958.
Rafalko, M., and Sonneborn, T. M. (1959). A new syngen of Paramecium aurelia consisting of stocks from Mexico, France and Madagascar. J. Protozool. 6 30 (suppl.).
Shaw, C. R., and Koen, A. L. (1968). Starch gel zone electrophoresis of enzymes. In Smith, I. (ed.), Chromatographic and Electrophoretic Techniques, Heinmann Medical Books Ltd., New York, Vol. II, pp. 325–364.
Smith, I. (1968), Starch gel electrophoresis. In Smith, I. (ed.), Chromatographic and Electrophoretic Techniques, Heinmann Medical Books Ltd., New York, Vol. II, pp. 217–324.
Soldo, A. T., Godoy, G. A., and van Wagtendonk, W. J. (1966) Growth of particle-bearing and particle-free Paramecium aurelia in axenic culture. J. Protozool. 13 492.
Sonneborn, T. M. (1937). Sex, sex inheritance and sex determination in Paramecium aurelia. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 23 378.
Sonneborn, T. M. (1938). Mating types in P. aurelia: Diverse conditions for mating in different stocks; occurrence, number and interrelationships of the types. Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. 79 411.
Sonneborn, T. M. (1950). Methods in general biology and genetics of P. aurelia. J. Exptl. Zool. 113 87.
Sonneborn, T. M. (1957). Breeding systems, reproductive methods and species problems in protozoa. In Mayr, E. (ed.), The Species Problem, Publ. No. 50, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Washington, D.C., pp. 155–324.
Sonneborn, T. M. (1958). Classification of syngens of the Paramecium aurelia-multimicronucleatum complex. J. Protozool. 5 17. (suppl.).
Stevenson, I. (1967). Genetic and biochemical studies on cytoplasmic particles in Paramecium. Ph.D. thesis, University of Edinburgh.
Tait, A. (1968). Genetic control of β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase in Paramecium aurelia. Nature 219 941.
Tait, A. (1969). Syngen differences in electrophoretic mobility of certain enzymes in Paramecium aurelia. J. Protozool. 16 28 (suppl.).
Tait, A. (1970) Genetics of NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in Paramecium aurelia. Nature 225 181.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was carried out during the tenure of an M.R.C. Postgraduate Research Scholarship, and forms part of the material for a Ph.D. thesis at the University of Edinburgh.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tait, A. Enzyme variation between syngens in Paramecium aurelia . Biochem Genet 4, 461–470 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00486596
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00486596