Abstract
Vacuole passage time (VPT) and digestion time (DT) in the heterotrichous marine ciliateFabrea salina (Henneguy) (from cultures) were measured in 1986 under different food concentrations, using epifluorescence microscopy, and employing fluorescent particles andRhodomonas lens as tracers. Both VPT and DT were unaffected by food concentrations ranging form 0 to 106 cells ml−1 and can be treated as constants (120.0 and 71.2 min, respectively). Vacuole life expectancy may be related to the ingestion-rate-determining need forde novo membrane synthesis and “old” vacuole membrane recycling which feeds new endocytotic vacuole production. Both processes are enzyme-controlled, which would explain the observations of other investigators that at least in certain ciliates digestion time is responsive to changes in temperature.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Allen, R. D. (1974). Food vacuole membrane growth with microtubule-associated membrane transport inParamecium. J. Cell Biol. 63: 904–922
Allen, R. D. (1978). Membranes of ciliates: ultrastructure, biochemistry and fusion. In: Poste, G., Nicholson, G. L. (eds.) Membrane fusion. Elsevier/North Holland, Amsterdam, p. 657–763
Allen, R. D., Fok, A. K. (1984a). Stages of digestive vacuoles inParamecium: membrane surface differences and location. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 35: 149–155
Allen, R. D., Fok, A. K. (1984b). Retrieval of lysosomal membrane and acid phosphatase from phagolysosomes ofParamecium caudatum. J. Cell Biol. 99: 1955–1959
Allen, R. D., Staehelin, L. A. (1981). Digestive system membranes: freeze-fracture evidence for differentiation and flow inParamecium. J. Cell Biol. 89: 9–20
Berger, J. D., Pollock, C. (1981). Kinetics of food vacuole accumulation and loss inParamecium tetraurelia. Trans. Am microsc. Soc. 100: 120–133
Capriulo, G. M. (1990). Feeding-related ecology of marine protozoa. In: Capriulo, G. M. (ed.) Ecology of marine protozoa. Oxford University Press, New York, p. 186–259
Elliott, A. M., Clemmons, G. L. (1966). An ultrastructural study of ingestion and digestion inTetrahymena pyriformis. J. Protozool. 13: 311–323
Fenchel, T. (1975). The quantitative importance of the benthic microfauna of an artic tundra pond. Hydrobiologia 46: 445–464
Fischer-Defoy, D., Hausmann, K. (1977). Untersuchungen zur Phagocytose beiClimacostomum virens. Protistologica 13: 459–476
Fok, A. K. (1983). An inhibition and kinetic study of acid phosphatase inParamecium caudatum andParamecium tetraurelia. J. Protozool. 30: 14–20
Fok, A. K., Lee, Y., Allen, R. D. (1982). The correlation of digestive vacuole pH and size with the digestive cycle inParamecuim caudatum. J. Protzool. 29: 409–444
Fok, A. K., Muraoka, J. H., Allen, R. D. (1984). Acid phosphatase in the digestive vacuoles and lysosomes ofParamecium caudatum: a timed study. J. Protozool. 31: 216–220
Fok, A. K., Shockley, B. U. (1985). Processing of digestive vacuoles inTetrahymena and the effects of dichloroisoproterenol. J. Protozool. 32: 6–9
Fok, A. K., Valin, E. L. (1983). Effects of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) on the digestive-lysosomal system inParamecium caudatum. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 32: 45–51
Jurand, A. (1961). An electron microscope study of food vacuoles inParamecium aurelia. J. Protozool. 8: 125–130
Lee, J. J., Capriulo, G. M. (1990). The ecology of marine protozoa: an overview. In: Capriulo, G. M. (ed.) Ecology of marine protozoa. Oxford University Press, New York, p. 3–45
McKanna, J. (1973a). Cyclic membrane flow in the ingestive-digestive system of peritrich protozoans. 1. Vesicular fusion at the cytopharynx. J. Cell Sci. 13: 663–675
McKanna, J. (1973b). Cyclic membrane flow in the ingestive-digestive system of peritrich protozoans. 2. Cup-shaped coated vesicles. J. Cell Sci. 13: 677–686
McManus, G. B., Fuhrman J. A. (1986). Bacterivory in seawater studied with the use of inert fluorescent particles. Limnol. Ocenaogr. 31: 420–426
Muller, M., Rohlich P., Toro I. (1965). Studies on feeding and digestion in protozoa. 7. Ingestion of polystyrene latex articles and its early effect on acid phosphatase inParamecium micronucleatum andTetrahymena pyriformis. J. Protozool. 12: 27–34
Nilsson, J. R. (1972). Further studies in vacuole formation inTetrahymena pyriformis G. L. Compt. Rend. Trav. Lab. Carlsberg 29: 83–110
Nilsson, J. R. (1977). On food vacuoles inTetrahymena pyriformis GL. J. Protozool. 24: 502–507
Nilsson, J. R. (1979). Phagotrophy inTetrahymena In: Levandowsky, M., Hutner, S. H. (eds.) Biochemistry and physiology of protozoa, Vol. 2. Academic Press, New York, p. 339–379
Nilsson, J. R. (1987). Structural aspects of digestion ofEscherichia coli inTetrahymena. J. Protozool. 34: 1–6
Nisbet, B. (1984). Nutrition and feeding strategies in protozoa. Crown Helm, London
Provasoli, L. (1963). Growing marine seaweeds. Proc. 4th int. Seaweed Symp. (Biarritz, 1961) 4: 9–17 [Virville, D. de, Feldman, J. (eds.) Pergamon Press, London]
Ricketts, T. R. (1979). Temporal movement of digestive vacuoles in fedTetrahymena pyriformis GL-9. Protoplasma 100: 317–322
Ricketts, T. R., Rappitt, A. F. (1976). Endocytosis, digestive vacuolar movement and exocytosis on refeeding starvedTetrahymena pyriformis GL-9. Protoplasma 87: 221–236
Rothstein, T. L., Blum, J. J. (1974). Lysosomal physiology inTetrahymena. III. Pharmacological studies on acid hydrolase release and the ingestion and egestion of dimethylbenzanthracene particles. J. Cell Biol. 62: 844–859
Rudzinska, M. A. (1970). The mechanism of food intake inTokophrya infusionum and ultrastructural changes in food vacuoles during digestion. J. Protozool. 17: 626–641
Rudzinska, M. A. (1972). Ultrastructural localization of acid phosphatase in feedingTokophrya infusionum. J. Protozool. 19: 618–629
Rudzinska, M. A. (1973). Autophagy inTokophrya infusionum. In: de Puytorac, P., Grain, J. (eds.) Progress in protozoology, Proceedings of the 4th International Congress, Sept. 1973. Univ. De Clermont, Clermont, Ferrand, France, p. 354
Rudzinska, M. A. (1980). Internalization of macromolecules from the medium in Suctoria. J. Cell Biol. 84: 172–183
Sattler, C. A., Staehelin, L. A. (1979). Oral cavity ofTetrahymena pyriformis: a freeze fracture and high voltage electron microscopy study of the oral ribs, cytostome and forming food vacuole. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 66: 132–150
Sawicka, K., Kaczanowski, A., Kaczanowska, J. (1983). Kinetics of ingestion and egestion of food vacuoles during the cell cycle ofChilodonella steini. Acta protozool. 22: 157–167
Sherman, G. B., Buhse, H. E., Jr., Smith, H. E. (1982). Physiological studies on the cytopharyngeal pouch, a prey receptable in the carnivorous macrostomal form ofTetrahymena vorax. J. Protozool. 29: 360–365
Sherr, B. F., Sherr, E. B., Rassoulzadegan, F. (1988). Rates of digestion of bacteria by marine phagotrophic protozoa: temperature dependence. Appl. envirl Microbiol. 54: 1091–1095
Small, E. B., Lynn, D. (1985). Phylum Ciliophora. In: Lee, J. J., Hutner, S. H., Bovee, E. C. (eds.) An illustration guide to the protozoa. Allen Press, Lawrence, Kansas
Sugden, B. (1950). A study of the feeding and excretion of the ciliateCarchesium in relation to the clarification of sewage effluent. Ph. D. thesis, University of Leeds, London
Taneda, K., Ohno, C. (1985). The quantitative analysis of food vacuole formation inParamecium caudatum. Mem. Fac. Sci. Kochi Univ. (Ser. D) 6: 1–13
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by J. Grassle, New Brunswick
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Capriulo, G.M., Degnan, C. Effect of food concentration on digestion and vacuole passage time in the heterotrichous marine ciliateFibrea salina . Mar. Biol. 110, 199–202 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01313705
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01313705