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Mechanochemical Coupling in Flagella. II. Effects of viscosity and thiourea on metabolism and motility of Ciona spermatozoa

Brokaw, C. J. and Benedict, B. (1968) Mechanochemical Coupling in Flagella. II. Effects of viscosity and thiourea on metabolism and motility of Ciona spermatozoa. Journal of General Physiology, 52 (2). pp. 283-299. ISSN 0022-1295. PMCID PMC2225809. doi:10.1085/jgp.52.2.283. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20120828-075109509

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Abstract

The relation between oxygen consumption and motility of Ciona spermatozoa has been measured by using pH stats to measure the acid production of spermatozoa swimming in dilute suspensions where their motility can be analyzed accurately, and calibrating the acid production by measuring it simultaneously with measurements of oxygen consumption, using more concentrated sperm suspensions. When the motility of the spermatozoa is inhibited by thiourea or by increased viscosity, their oxygen consumption decreases in proportion to the decrease in beat frequency. 80–85 % of their oxygen consumption appears to be tightly coupled to motility. The amount of movement-coupled oxidative metabolism per beat remains nearly constant, even when there are significant changes in the energy required per beat for movement against the viscous resistance of the medium. This implies that under these conditions, where the radius of curvature of flagellar bending remains constant, the amount of ATP used is determined by a stoichiometric relation to bending rather than by the energy requirement. The movement-coupled oxidative metabolism appears to be sufficient to generate approximately two molecules of ATP per beat for each molecule of the flagellar ATPase, dynein.


Item Type:Article
Related URLs:
URLURL TypeDescription
http://dx.doi.org/10.1085/jgp.52.2.283DOIArticle
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc2225809/PubMed CentralArticle
Additional Information:© 1968 Rockefeller University Press. Submitted: 19 January 1968. The authors wish to thank Robert H. Schor and John F. Walters for their assistance during preliminary stages of this work. This work has been supported in part by grant GM-14613 from the National Institutes of Health, United States Public Health Service.
Funders:
Funding AgencyGrant Number
NIHGM-14613
Issue or Number:2
PubMed Central ID:PMC2225809
DOI:10.1085/jgp.52.2.283
Record Number:CaltechAUTHORS:20120828-075109509
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20120828-075109509
Official Citation:Mechanochemical Coupling in Flagella: II. Effects of viscosity and thiourea on metabolism and motility of Ciona spermatozoa C. J. Brokaw and B. Benedict 52:283-299. doi:10.1085/jgp.52.2.283
Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:33590
Collection:CaltechAUTHORS
Deposited By: Ruth Sustaita
Deposited On:28 Aug 2012 15:14
Last Modified:09 Nov 2021 21:35

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