Tetrahymena

Tetrahymena thermophila

Tetrahymena is a genus of eukaryotic unicellular organisms that belongs to the genus of ciliates. Species of this genus occur in oceans, in freshwater and in moist soil. Due to the particular expression of her mouth apparatus, they become the Hymenostomatida (Greek: " skin - mouths " ) counted.

Construction

The species of the genus Tertrahymena 30 - 60 microns in size and all sides of a holotrichen Ciliatur covered (ie, the whole body is covered with eyelashes ), which can be explained (of cilia = eyelash ) and their excess genus name ciliates. The Ciliatur serves locomotion and is extremely sensitive to sensory ( sensory ) stimuli. The organism has the same oral apparatus (cell mouth, cytostome ) on how the paramecium, which occupies a quarter of the visible front page. Microscopically visible are the parallel landscaped, covered with cilia, four cuticle, featuring the mouth. The Tetrahymena have this structure owes its name (Greek: tetra: four).

Like other ciliates also has this genus the, required for excretion, Cytoprokt ( or cell anus). Tetrahymena types have the characteristics of a eukaryotic cell, such as endoplasmic reticulum, lysosome and ribosome.

Use in biotechnology

Due to their properties Tetrahymena are increasingly used in biotechnology. The company Cilian 2013 has announced that with the help of Tetrahymena to develop a new flu vaccine. The single-celled organisms to produce the coat protein hemagglutinin.

Genetic peculiarities

The characteristic of the genus Tetrahymena as for all ciliate genetic feature is the Kerndimorphismus. The organisms each have a micro and a macro nucleus. While in dipoliden micronucleus DNA sits, the macronucleus contains the rearranged RNA interference ( RNAi).