title: Ingestion without inactivation of bacteriophages by Tetrahymena.
abstract: Tetrahymena has been shown to ingest and inactivate bacteriophages, such as T4, in co-incubation experiments. In this study, Tetrahymena thermophila failed to inactivate phages PhiX174 and MS2 in co-incubations, although PhiX174 were ingested by T. thermophila, as demonstrated by: (1) recovery at defecation in a pulse-chase experiment, (2) recovery from Tetrahymena by detergent lysis, and (3) transmission electron microscopy. We conclude, therefore, that the phages must be digestion-resistant. Internalized PhiX174 were further shown to be partially protected from lethal damage by ultraviolet (UV) C and UVB irradiation. Finally, ingested PhiX174 were shown to be rapidly transported through buffer in a horizontal swimming, race tube-like assay. The transport and protection of phages may confer evolutionary advantages that explain the acquisition of digestion-resistance by some phages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Health Services, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro, PA 16444, USA.
authors.forename: Agnes A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Akunyili
authors.forename: Miaad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alfatlawi
authors.forename: Bandana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Upadhyaya
authors.forename: Laura S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Rhoads
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eichelberger
authors.forename: Craig T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Van Bell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D016808:Tetrahymena thermophila / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D038301:Virus Inactivation