RESUMO
Intracellular signaling and cell-cell interactions are basic features of living organisms. Ciliated protozoa show complex mechanisms of intracellular signaling, as is demonstrated for the phagosomal pathway. Although unicellular, ciliates also communicate with other cells, for example, with invading or symbiotic micro-organisms, some of which are dwelling in the nuclei. In predator-prey interactions chemical signals (kairomones) released by certain predators induce defensive morphological or behavioral changes in the prey ciliates. In intercellular communication sensu strictu ciliate cells communicate with each other, for example, in sexual propagation. A variety of sexual signals have been found to function in preconjugant interaction. Many phenomena of cellular communication in ciliates appear to be similar to those found in multicellular organisms.
Assuntos
Comunicação Celular/fisiologia , Cilióforos/fisiologia , Transdução de Sinais/fisiologia , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Fenômenos Fisiológicos Bacterianos , Proteínas de Membrana/química , Proteínas de Membrana/fisiologia , Dados de Sequência MolecularRESUMO
Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting was used in this study to determine the genetic relationship of different cell lines of the hypotrichous ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus. Stocks isolated from different habitats in the USA, and from a group of genetically recombined laboratory strains, were characterized. Band-sharing indices (D) for all possible pairwise comparisons revealed a remarkable genetic diversity between the different cell lines. Investigation of the genetic structure in natural populations found diversity--although to a different extent--in all populations investigated. No clonal structure could be observed, as proposed for several protozoa and recently shown for E. daidaleos. These findings suggest frequent conjugation in the population of E. octocarinatus. No correlation between the genetic relationship of cell lines from different habitats and the distance between the corresponding sampling locations was found. Once separated geographically, the exchange of genetic material between populations appears to be nearly impossible. Therefore, these groups tend to separate into sibling species. The data generally support the occurrence of different syngens in the E. octocarinatus species complex. This finding is in accordance with our observation that the morphological 'species' of E. octocarinatus consists of several syngens or sibling species, similar to findings for the Paramecium aurelia-, Tetrahymena pyriformis- and E. vannus- species complexes.
Assuntos
Euplotes/genética , Genética Populacional , Técnica de Amplificação ao Acaso de DNA Polimórfico , Animais , Animais de Laboratório , Linhagem Celular , Impressões Digitais de DNA/métodos , Euplotes/citologia , Euplotes/fisiologia , Engenharia Genética , Variação Genética , Endogamia , Reprodução , Estados UnidosRESUMO
Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting was used in this study to determine the genetic relationship of different cell lines of the hypotrichous ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus. Stocks isolated from different habitats in the USA, and from a group of genetically recombined laboratory strains, were characterized. Band-sharing indices (D) for all possible pairwise comparisons revealed a remarkable genetic diversity between the different cell lines. Investigation of the genetic structure in natural populations found diversity - although to a different extent - in all populations investigated. No clonal structure could be observed, as proposed for several protozoa and recently shown for E. daidaleos. These findings suggest frequent conjugation in the populations of E. octocarinatus. No correlation between the genetic relationship of cell lines from different habitats and the distance between the corresponding sampling locations was found. Once separated geographically, the exchange of genetic material between populations appears to be nearly impossible. Therefore, these groups tend to separate into sibling species. The data generally support the occurrence of different syngens in the E. octocarinatus species complex. This finding is in accordance with our observation that the morphological 'species' of E. octocarinatus consists of several syngens or sibling species, similar to findings for the Paramecium aurelia-, Tetrahymena pyriformis- and E. vannus-species complexes.