title: Phytate as the sole phosphate source for growth of Tetrahymena.
abstract: Phytate, the storage form of phosphate in seeds and grains, is a major form of environmental phosphate loading from fertilizer inputs and agricultural runoff. We have investigated the ability of Tetrahymena populations to grow on phytate as their sole phosphate source. Populations grew equally well in chemically defined medium with phosphate and medium in which the phosphate was replaced with phytate in comparable concentrations between 0.5 mM and 6 mM. Intracellular phytate concentrations of cells grown in phytate showed a 4-6-fold increase over those grown in phosphate when measured during the late stage of exponential growth. These results demonstrate that phytate can provide a source of adequate phosphate for sustained growth in phytate-rich environments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science and Coalition for Biomolecular Products, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa 35487-0344, USA.
authors.forename: Hope T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Ziemkiewicz
authors.forename: Margaret D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Harriett E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Smith-Somerville
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism*; D010833:Phytic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D013768:Tetrahymena / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D010710:Phosphates; D010833:Phytic Acid