Cellular responses of the ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila, to far infrared irradiation. 2006

Robert Shiurba, and Tatsuo Hirabayashi, and Masaru Masuda, and Akinori Kawamura, and Yuta Komoike, and William Klitz, and Keiichi Kinowaki, and Takashi Funatsu, and Shunzo Kondo, and Shin Kiyokawa, and Toshiro Sugai, and Kosuke Kawamura, and Hideo Namiki, and Toru Higashinakagawa
Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan. shiurba@waseda.jp

Infrared rays from sunlight permeate the earth's atmosphere, yet little is known about their interactions with living organisms. To learn whether they affect cell structure and function, we tested the ciliated protozoan, Tetrahymena thermophila. These unicellular eukaryotes aggregate in swarms near the surface of freshwater habitats, where direct and diffuse solar radiation impinge upon the water-air interface. We report that populations irradiated in laboratory cultures grew and mated normally, but major changes occurred in cell physiology during the stationary phase. Early on, there were significant reductions in chromatin body size and the antibody reactivity of methyl groups on lysine residues 4 and 9 in histone H3. Later, when cells began to starve, messenger RNAs for key proteins related to chromatin structure, intermediary metabolism and cellular motility increased from two- to nearly nine-fold. Metabolic activity, swimming speed and linearity of motion also increased, and spindle shaped cells with a caudal cilium appeared. Our findings suggest that infrared radiation enhances differentiation towards a dispersal cell-like phenotype in saturated populations of Tetrahymena thermophila.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007259 Infrared Rays That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum usually sensed as heat. Infrared wavelengths are longer than those of visible light, extending into the microwave frequencies. They are used therapeutically as heat, and also to warm food in restaurants. Heat Waves,Heat Wave,Infrared Ray,Ray, Infrared,Rays, Infrared,Wave, Heat,Waves, Heat
D008745 Methylation Addition of methyl groups. In histo-chemistry methylation is used to esterify carboxyl groups and remove sulfate groups by treating tissue sections with hot methanol in the presence of hydrochloric acid. (From Stedman, 25th ed) Methylations
D008854 Microscopy, Electron Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen. Electron Microscopy
D006657 Histones Small chromosomal proteins (approx 12-20 kD) possessing an open, unfolded structure and attached to the DNA in cell nuclei by ionic linkages. Classification into the various types (designated histone I, histone II, etc.) is based on the relative amounts of arginine and lysine in each. Histone,Histone H1,Histone H1(s),Histone H2a,Histone H2b,Histone H3,Histone H3.3,Histone H4,Histone H5,Histone H7
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012333 RNA, Messenger RNA sequences that serve as templates for protein synthesis. Bacterial mRNAs are generally primary transcripts in that they do not require post-transcriptional processing. Eukaryotic mRNA is synthesized in the nucleus and must be exported to the cytoplasm for translation. Most eukaryotic mRNAs have a sequence of polyadenylic acid at the 3' end, referred to as the poly(A) tail. The function of this tail is not known for certain, but it may play a role in the export of mature mRNA from the nucleus as well as in helping stabilize some mRNA molecules by retarding their degradation in the cytoplasm. Messenger RNA,Messenger RNA, Polyadenylated,Poly(A) Tail,Poly(A)+ RNA,Poly(A)+ mRNA,RNA, Messenger, Polyadenylated,RNA, Polyadenylated,mRNA,mRNA, Non-Polyadenylated,mRNA, Polyadenylated,Non-Polyadenylated mRNA,Poly(A) RNA,Polyadenylated mRNA,Non Polyadenylated mRNA,Polyadenylated Messenger RNA,Polyadenylated RNA,RNA, Polyadenylated Messenger,mRNA, Non Polyadenylated
D015800 Protozoan Proteins Proteins found in any species of protozoan. Proteins, Protozoan
D015870 Gene Expression The phenotypic manifestation of a gene or genes by the processes of GENETIC TRANSCRIPTION and GENETIC TRANSLATION. Expression, Gene,Expressions, Gene,Gene Expressions
D016053 RNA, Protozoan Ribonucleic acid in protozoa having regulatory and catalytic roles as well as involvement in protein synthesis. Protozoan RNA
D016808 Tetrahymena thermophila A species of ciliate protozoa used in genetic and cytological research. Tetrahymena thermophilas,thermophilas, Tetrahymena

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