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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 3929

Allan D. Dingle; Cellular and Environmental Variables Determining Numbers of Flagella in Temperature-shocked Naegleria. J.Protozool. 26(4):604-612, 1979

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Naegleria gruberi amebae normally transform into biflagellated cells. When subjected to high temperatures during flagellate differentiation, populations develop an average of 4-5 flagella/flagellate. Attempts to maximize this phenomenon by altering cellular and environmental variables revealed that: (a) few Naegleria isolates become multiflagellated; strain NB-1 gives the greatest response to heat shocks; (b) temperature is the most critical variable: highest numbers of flagella are obtained only if cells are temperature-shocked at precisely 38.2+/-0.1 degrees C, then returned to 19-22 degrees C to complete differentiation; (c) although pH alone does not affect numbers of flagella, a pH optimum of 5.5-7.0 exists of temperature-shocked cells; and (d) single cells in microdrops become multiflagellated, but the population response is density-dependent. Optimal conditions are described for growing, washing, and transforming amebae to generate reproducibly highest numbers of flagella.