Ref ID : 7790
Dale S. Weis; Sparing effect of light on bacterial consumption of Paramecium bursaria. Trans.Amer.Micros.Soc. 93(1):135-140, 1974
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The ciliate Paramecium bursaria harbors within its cytoplasm a population of ca. 1,000 algal cells. These symbionts contribute, through photosynthesis, to the nutrition of the host. The ciliates also feed on bacteria and other particulate food and, presumably, take in soluble matter. Results of the present study indicate that bacteria are probably the predominant source of nutrition in ciliates grown in the dark but not of those cultured in the light. In light-grown animals, photosythesis may be a more important source of nutrition, quantitatively, than bacteria. The flow of photosynthate from symbiont to host is manifest in a greatly reduced utilization of bacteria by light-grown cultures compared to those grown in the dark.