Evidence for ciliary pigment localization in colored ciliates and implications for their photosensory transduction chain: A confocal microscopy study
In this study we report for the first time the localization of a photoreceptor pigment in the cilia of the colored heterotrich ciliates Blepharisma japonicum red and blue form, Fabrea salina, and Stentor coeruleus, as result of a confocal microscopy investigation. Optical sectioning confocal microsc...
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Published in | Microscopy research and technique Vol. 70; no. 12; pp. 1028 - 1033 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Hoboken
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
01.12.2007
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | In this study we report for the first time the localization of a photoreceptor pigment in the cilia of the colored heterotrich ciliates Blepharisma japonicum red and blue form, Fabrea salina, and Stentor coeruleus, as result of a confocal microscopy investigation. Optical sectioning confocal microscopy has been used for studying the spatial distribution of the pigment in the cell body, surprisingly showing that, besides its expected presence in the cortical region immediately below the cell membrane, it is located in the cilia too. In order to ascertain possible differences in the pigment fluorescence properties along the cell body, we have measured emission spectra from different parts of it (anterior, posterior, and cilia). Our results clearly indicate that in all cases the spectra are the same, within experimental errors. Finally, we have evaluated the pigment relative fluorescence efficiency of these ciliates. In an ordered scale from lower to greater efficiency, we have S. coeruleus, B. japonicum blue, B. japonicum red, and F. salina. The possible implications of our findings for the process of photosensory transduction are discussed. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. |
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Bibliography: | istex:3A80044B95511700222295C6BC86925FFF96AE71 ArticleID:JEMT20508 ark:/67375/WNG-RJ14KF3G-4 ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 ObjectType-Article-2 ObjectType-Feature-1 |
ISSN: | 1059-910X 1097-0029 |
DOI: | 10.1002/jemt.20508 |