The kinetics of gravitaxis and gravikinesis in Paramecium caudatum were investigated by employing (1) step transitions from normal gravity (1 g) to weightlessness (microgravity) and (2) turns of the experimental chambers from the horizontal to the vertical position at 1 g. The transition to microgravity left existing cell orientations unchanged. Relaxation of negative gravitaxis under micrograv...

Classic ecological theory suggests that resource partitioning facilitates the coexistence of species by reducing inter-specific competition. A byproduct of this process is an increase in overall community function, because a greater spectrum of resources can be used. In contrast, coexistence facilitated by neutral mechanisms is not expected to increase function. We studied coexistence in labora...

The advantages of Bayesian statistical approaches, such as flexibility and the ability to acknowledge uncertainty in all parameters, have made them the prevailing method for analysing the spread of infectious diseases in human or animal populations. We introduce a Bayesian approach to experimental host-pathogen systems that shares these attractive features. Since uncertainty in all parameters i...

Telomeric DNA at the ends of chromosomes consist of short, tandem repeat sequences. The telomeres of Paramecium tetraurelia are made up of variable repeats, whereas Paramecium caudatum telomeric repeats are largely invariant. To investigate variable repeat synthesis in P. tetraurelia, mutated telomerase RNA genes were expressed in vivo. We demonstrate that the P. caudatum telomerase RNA can par...

Holospora undulata is a micronucleus-specific symbiont of the ciliate Paramecium caudatum. We report here the draft genome sequence of H. undulata strain HU1. This genome information will contribute to the study of symbiosis between H. undulata and the host P. caudatum.

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the toxic effects ofmonocrotophos in ciliate models Paramecium caudatum and Oxytricha fallax. In acute toxicity studies higherconcentrations of monocrotophos caused marked increase in mobility of cells exhibiting rocking movements within two mins of exposure but were decreased after 30 mins. LC50 value by mortality curve for 3 hr acute toxicity test of Oxy...