Year: 1972
Type: report
Abstract: P]iototaxis can be defined as a translational response of a freely moving organism to a light stimulus. In the algaEuglena, a sensory perception system is involved which is an easily-recognized structure consisting of an eyespot (or stigma) and th e paraflagellar swelling located at t]ie base of t]ic flagellum (Tollin, 1969).T]iese organelles, functioning as a photosensitive devj.ce,allow the cell.to become oriented wit]1 respect to t]ie directj.on of a lig]it source and to maintain its swimming motion in that direction.The physical mechanism by which this is accomplished is the subject of another paper to be presented at this symposium (Diehn, 1070a) and thus will not be considered further here.At the present stage of the investigation of pliototaxis, there are two well-defined biochemical questions which can be asked and to which at least partial answers can be given.'1'hesc arc:1) What is the energy source which permits the organism to become oriented in the light beam?2) What is the identity of the pigment(s) respodsible for photosensory perception (tlie paper by 1.1 i.elin also describes experiments clen.lingwil.h this question)?
DOI: 10.2172/4628745
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4229682997