title: Defense function of pigment granules in the ciliate Blepharisma japonicum against two predatory protists, Amoeba proteus (Rhizopodea) and Climacostomum virens (Ciliata).
abstract: The defense function of pigment granules in the red ciliate Blepharisma japonicum against two predatory protists, Amoeba proteus and Climacostomum virens, was investigated by (1) comparing normally-pigmented and albino mutant cells of B. japonicum as the prey of these predators and (2) comparing resistance of the predators to blepharismin, the toxic pigment contained in the pigment granules of B. japonicum. Normally pigmented cells which contained more blepharismin than albino cells were less vulnerable to A. proteus than albino cells, but not to C. virens. C. virens was more resistant than A. proteus to the lethal effect of blepharismin. The results indicate that pigment granules of B. japonicum function as defense organelles against A. proteus but not against C. virens and suggest that successful defense against a predator depends on the susceptibility of the predator to blepharismin.
authors.affiliation: Tokai Women's Junior College, Kagamigahara, Gifu 504-8504, Japan. idea21@tokai-wjc.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masayo Noda
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Terazima
authors.forename: Terue
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harumoto
mesh_terms: D000656:Amoeba / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D010569:Perylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity*; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000502:physiology*; D011235:Predatory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010860:Pigments, Biological; C092293:blepharismin; D010569:Perylene