Ref ID : 3877
R.D. Bynum and R.D. Allen; Torsional Movements in the Ameba, Chaos carolinensis, Suggest a Helical Cytoskeletal Organization. J.Protozool. 27(4):420-423, 1980
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Centrifugation for 30-40 seconds at 8,000 g has been used to render monopodial specimens of the large free-living ameba. Chaos carolinensis. These monopodial amebae exhibit obvious torsional movements in the tail. In may cases the posterior ectoplasm assumes the form of a screw with helical ridges forming in place of the more common straight dorsal fins. This finding prompted a reexamination of normal polypodial C. carolinensis, and a majority of these were found also the exhibit torsional movement in the tail and in retracting pseudopodia. These movements suggest that the cytoskeleton of Chaos may have a helical component in its organization.