Changes in relative concentrations of the hemoglobin components in Paramecium caused by cell growth and temperature of the culture

The Hb (hemoglobin) content of Paramecium has been known to maintain a constant level even when the cells are exposed to different conditions. However, the relative concentrations of the Hb components in the stocks of P. caudatum, P. multimicronucleatum and P. jenningsi were found to change during cell growth from logarithmic young phase to stationary growth phase even when the culture was maintained at a constant temperature of 18 or 27 °C. The temperature of the culture also affected the relative concentrations of the Hb components in a cell. A large part of the growth-dependent and temperature-dependent change was attributable to a variation in the amounts of two or three major Hb components, and the variation in other minor components was almost negligible. At the time of cell growth and of a shift in temperature, the major Hb components in a cell respond in opposite ways from each other. These components differed in several properties: one of them showed a faster migration by PAGE, a smaller molecular mass and a lower pi value than another.