Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Melkonian, M.
Right arrow Articles by Häder, D.-P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Melkonian, M.
Right arrow Articles by Häder, D.-P.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Melkonian, M.
Right arrow Articles by Häder, D.-P.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Plant and Cell Physiology, 1986, Vol. 27, No. 3 505-513
© 1986

Article

Photokinesis and Photophobic Responses in the Gliding Flagellate, Euglena mutabilis

Michael Melkonian1, Martina Meinicke-Liebelt1 and Donat-P. Häder2

1Bolanisches Inslitut der Universität Schloßgarten 3, D-4400 Münster, Federal Republic of Germany
2Fachbereich Biologie-Botanik der Philipps-Universität Lahnberge, D-3350 Marburg, Federal Republic of Germany

A pronounced photokinesis (as indicated by increases in both percentage of motile cells and average speed of movement) as well as step-up and step-down photophobic responses at light/dark boundaries in the gliding flagellate Euglena mutabilis was studied using time-lapse video-microscopy. The spectral sensitivities of all the observed lightdependent motor responses were similar to each other and showed an activity throughout the whole visible spectrum with maximum peaks at about 410, 450, 470, 530, 580 and 650 nm and a pronounced minimum at about 600 nm. Thus, the photoreceptor pigments markedly differ from the closely related swimming flagellate Euglena gracilis in which a flavin type blue light receptor is supposed to be responsible for the stimulus perception. Light microscopic studies of mucilage distribution and regeneration suggested that the gliding movements are effected by parallel gliding of adjacent pellicular strips while the mucilage produced on the cell surface and transported to the rear end seems to be responsible for adhesion of the cell on the substrate.

(Received November 21, 1985; Accepted January 30, 1986)
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.