Flagellar wave reversal in the kinetoplastid flagellate Crithidia oncopelti.
Living Crithidia oncopelti cells swim through their environment by means of tip-to-base waves on their single flagellum. The cells are able to re-orient themselves by using a short burst of asymmetrical base-to-tip waves. All points on a flagellum are capable of initiating waves. Placing a population of cells in a medium of high viscosity initially produces a large number of organisms beating in the reverse mode. An individual cell has a random "switching" behavior. Viscosity affects the frequency of forward and reverse waves in different ways. The concentration of free Ca++ ions determines the direction of wave propagation in reactivated axonemes. Calmodulin may play a role in mediating the Ca++ dependence of wave direction.
Sugrue
P
P
Department of Physics, University of London, UK.
Hirons
M R
MR
Adam
J U
JU
Holwill
M E
ME
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D003421:Crithidia / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005407:Flagella / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008124:Locomotion; D014783:Viscosity
D002118:Calcium