The Role of Membrane-Bound Extracellular Vesicles During Co-Stimulation and Conjugation in the Ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila

• Published in: Microorganisms (Basel) Vol. 13; no. 4; p. 803
• Main Authors: Cole, Eric S., Dmytrenko, Oleksandr, Li, Mark, Krishnan, Neetij, Thorp, Josh, Higgins, LeeAnn, Markowski, Todd, Morgan, Garry, O’Toole, Eileen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.04.2025; MDPI
• Subjects: Carbohydrates; Cell adhesion & migration; Cell division; Cell organelles; Cilia; ciliates; co-stimulation; Conjugation; Cyclin-dependent kinases; ectosomes; EMVs; Endocytosis; Enzymes; Extracellular vesicles; Freshwater organisms; Kinases; Ligands; Malaria; Mating; Mating types; Membranes; Microorganisms; Physiological aspects; Pinocytosis; Pore formation; Proteins; Proteomics; Protozoa; Sexual reproduction; Tetrahymena; Tetrahymena thermophila; Vesicles; United States; Tetrahymena; EMVs; ciliates; pheromones; co-stimulation; conjugation; ectosomes

During sexual reproduction, the freshwater ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila sheds membrane-bound vesicles into the extracellular environment (cEMVs: ciliary extracellular micro-vesicles). We provide evidence that 100 nm vesicles shed from the cilia of starved cells promote mating between cells of com...