ESTERASE VARIATIONS BETWEEN THE 14 SYNGENS OF PARAMECIUM AURELIA UNDER AXENIC GROWTH

摘要

Under axenic growth all 14 syngens of Paramecium aurelia have 4 types of esterases. The three major types (A, B and cathodal C) vary independently in electrophoretic mobility among the syngens. Using these three esterases, stocks can be keyed to a syngen, except for the groupings 1-3-5 and 7-13. Using 5 other enzymes only syngens 1 and 5 cannot be distinguished. Most syngens differ from each other in 6 out of the 8 enzymes. An axenically-grown stock of Paramecium multimicronucleatum collected in Costa Rica has the same types of esterases as P. aurelia . Two of the types (A and C) are similar in mobility to those found in syngens 7 and 13, but its B esterase differs in mobility from all the known syngens of P. aurelia .