Effect of Temperature on the Swimming Velocity of Triton-Extracted Models of Paramecium caudatum

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Abstract
The effect of temperature on the swimming velocity of Triton-extracted models of a paramecium was compared to the effect on the native paramecium. The swimming velocity of the extracted models in the reactivating medium containing Mg-ATP increased as the temperature rose to the culture temperature, then decreased at higher temperatures. The maximum was at the culture temperature. When the temperature was suddenly dropped or raised, the swimming velocity of the models showed a transient increase that decreased to a stationary value within 2 min. The change in the swimming velocity paralleled the change in the beat frequency of cilia. The motile system of the paramecium after detergent treatment retains the influence of the culture temperature and it can show a dynamic response to temperature change.