Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Digestion in the peritrich ciliateOphrydium versatile

  • Published:
Protoplasma Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Digestion in the peritrich ciliateOphrydium versatile O.F.M. involves a complex sequence of intracytotic and exocytotic membrane fusion and recycling events. Food particulates are concentrated in the lower cytopharynx which forms a fusiform-shaped food vacuole. Upon release from the cytopharynx, this food vacuole begins to condense, concentrating the food particulates. Excess membrane is removed intracytotically. These released membranes pieces form discoidal vesicles which are recycled to the base of the cytopharynx, thus providing additional membrane for subsequent food vacuole formation. In the condensed food vacuole, digestion proceeds; hydrolytic enzymes are delivered to the food vacuole via rough endoplasmic reticulum and/or by the cup-shaped coated vesicles (CSCV). As these vesicles fuse with the food vacuole, the food vacuole enlarges, digestion proceeds and an electron-dense membrane coat appears along the luminal surface of the food vacuole. Prior to defecation, the food vacuole undergoes a final condensation; irregularly-shaped, electron dense, single-membrane bound vesicles are cut-off intracytotically from the old food vacuole. These vesicles undergo condensation and invagination to form the cup-shaped coated vesicles (CSCV) which fuse with younger food vacuoles.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen, R. D., 1974: Food vacuole membrane growth with microtubule-associated membrane transport inParamecium. J. Cell Biol.63, 904–922.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1976 a: Membranes of digestive vacuoles: topographic and intramembrane particle change with time. J. Cell Biol.70, 386 a.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1976 b: Freeze-fracture evidence for intramembrane changes accompanying membrane recycling inParamecium. Cytobiologie12, 254–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1977: Intramembrane alterations that occur in digestive vacuoles ofParamecium. 5th Int. Cong. Protozool. (Hutner, S. H., ed.), abstr. 235. New York: The Print Shop.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1978: Membranes of ciliates: ultrastructure, biochemistry and fusion. In: Membrane fusion (Poste, G., Nicholson, G. L., eds.), pp. 657–763. Amsterdam: Elsevier/North Holland Biomedical Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • —,Wolf, R. W., 1974: The cytoproct ofParamecium caudatum: structure and function, microtubules, and fate of food vacuole membranes. J. Cell Sci.14, 611–631.

    Google Scholar 

  • Batz, W., Wunderlich, F., 1976: Structural transformation of the phagosomal membrane inTetrahymena cells endocytosing latex beads. Arch. Microbiol.109, 215–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradbury, P. C., 1974: Stored membranes associated with feeding in apostome trophants with different diets. Protistologia10, 533–542.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carasso, N., Favard, P., Goldfisher, S., 1964: Localisation a l'echelle des ultrastructures, d'activités de phosphatases en rapport avec les processus digestifs chez un cilié (Campanella umbellaria). J. Microscopie3, 297–322.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, C. B., D'Elia, C. F., Muscatine, L., 1978: Endocytotic mechanisms of the digestive cells ofHydra viridis. 1. Morphological aspects. Cytobios23, 17–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dass, C. M. S., Sapra, G. R., Kumar, R., 1976: Food vacuole formation and membrane turnover inBlepharisma musculus var.seshachari Bhandary. Indian J. exp. Biol.14, 535–543.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dembitzer, H. M., 1968: Digestion and the distribution of acid phosphatase inBlepharisma. J. Cell Biol.37, 329–344.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott, A. M., Clemmons, G. L., 1966: An ultrastructural study of ingestion and digestion inTetrahymena pyriformis. J. Protozool.13, 311–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Essner, E., 1973: Phosphatases. In: Electron microscopy of enzymes (Hayat, M. A., ed.), pp. 44–76. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Esteve, J. C., 1967: Observations ultrastructurales sur quelques aspects d'evolution des vacuoles alimentaires chezParamecium caudatum. C. R. Acad. Sci. Ser. D.265, 1991–1994.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1970: Distribution of acid phosphatase inParamecium caudatum: its relations with the process of digestion. J. Protozool.17, 24–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fauré-Fremier, E., Favard, P., Carasso, N., 1962: Étude au microscope électronique des ultrastructures d'Epistylis anastatica (Cilié Péritriche). J. Microscopie1, 287–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Favard, P., Carasso, N., 1963: Mis en évidence d'un processus de micropinocytose interne au niveau des vacuoles digestives d'Epistylis anastatica (Cilié Péritriche). J. Microscopie2, 495–498.

    Google Scholar 

  • — —, 1964: Étude de la pinocytose au niveau des vacuoles digestives de ciliés péritriches. J. Microscopie3, 671–696.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldfisher, S., Carasso, N., Favard, P., 1963: The demonstration of acid phosphatase activity by electron microscopy in the ergastoplasm of the ciliateCampanella umbellaria L. J. Microscopie2, 621–628.

    Google Scholar 

  • —,Favard, P., Carasso, N., 1967: The demonstration of acid hydrolase activities in digestive vacuoles of peritrich ciliates by hexazonium pararosanilin procedures. J. Microscopie6, 867–872.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham, L. E., Graham, J. M., 1978: Ultrastructure of endosymbioticChlorella in aVorticella. J. Protozool.25, 207–210.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jurand, A., 1961: An electron microscopic study of food vacuoles inParamecium aurelia. J. Protozool.8, 125–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitajima, Y., Thompson, G. A., Jr., 1977: Differentiation of food vacuolar membranes during endocytosis inTetrahymena. J. Cell Biol.75, 436–475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kloetzel, J. A., 1974: Feeding in ciliated protozoa. I. Pharyngeal disks inEuplotes: a source of membrane food vacuole formation. J. Cell Sci.15, 379–401.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mast, S. O., 1947: The food vacuole inParamecium. Biol. Bull.92, 31–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKanna, J. A., 1973 a: Cyclic membrane flow in the ingestive-digestive systems of peritrich protozoans. I. Vesicular fusion at the cytopharynx. J. Cell Sci.13, 663–675.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1973 b: Cyclic membrane flow in the ingestive-digestive system of peritrich protozoans. II. Cup-shaped coated vesicles. J. Cell Sci.13, 677–686.

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller, M., Rohlich, P., 1961: Studies on feeding and digestion in Protozoa. II. Food vacuole cycle inTetrahymena corlissi. Acta Morphol. Acad. Hung.10, 297–305.

    Google Scholar 

  • — —,Törö, I., 1965: Studies on feeding and digestion in protozoa. VII. Ingestion of polystyrene latex particles and its early effect on acid phosphatase inParamecium multimicronucleatum andTetrahymena pyriformis. J. Protozool.12, 27–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • —,Törö, I., 1962: Studies on feeding and digestion in Protozoa. III. Acid phosphatase activity in food vacuoles ofParamecium multimicronucleatum. J. Protozool.9, 98–102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nilsson, J. R., 1976: Physiological and structural studies onTetrahymena pyriformis GL. C.R. Trav. Lab. Carlsberg40, 215–355.

    Google Scholar 

  • Novikoff, A. B., Holtzman, E., 1970: Cells and organelles, 2nd edition. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ricketts, T. R., 1971: Endocytosis inTetrahymena pyriformis. Exp. Cell Res.66, 49–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenbaum, R. M., Wittner, M., 1962: The activity of intracytoplasmic enzymes associated with feeding and digestion inParamecium caudatum. The possible relationship to neutral red granules. Arch. Protistenk.106, 223–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roth, L. E., 1960: Electron microscopy of pinocytosis and food vacuoles inPelomyxa. J. Protozool.7, 176–185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, L., 1964: Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen an den Ernährungsorganellen vonParamecium. I. Der Cytopharynx. Z. Zellforsch. Mikrosk. Anat.62, 198–224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slautterback, D. B., 1967: Coated vesicles in absorptive cells ofHydra. J. Cell Sci.2, 563–572.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spurr, A. R., 1969: A low viscosity epoxy resin embedding medium for electron microscopy. J. Ultrastruct. Res.26, 31–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weidenbach, A. L. S., Thompson, G. A., Jr., 1974: Studies of membrane formation inTetrahymena pyriformis. VIII. On the origin of membranes surrounding food vacuoles. J. Protozool.21, 745–751.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolf, R. W., Allen, R. D., 1974: The cytoproct ofTetrahymena pyriformis: microtubules, food vacuole membrane and endocytosis. J. Protozool.21, 425.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yagiu, R., Shigenaka, Y., 1966: The food vacuole formation and the process of digestion and absorption inParamecium caudatum. 6th International Congress for Electron Microscopy, Kyoto, Japan. Maruzen Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, pp. 237–238.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of California, Applied Sciences Building, 95064, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

    Lynda J. Goff & Janet R. Stein

  2. Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia

    Lynda J. Goff & Janet R. Stein

Authors
  1. Lynda J. Goff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Janet R. Stein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Goff, L.J., Stein, J.R. Digestion in the peritrich ciliateOphrydium versatile . Protoplasma 107, 235–254 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01276828

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01276828

Keywords

Search

Navigation