Transfer of Photosynthetically Produced Carbohydrate from Endosymbiotic Chlorellae to Paramecium bursaria*

Abstract
SYNOPSIS: Paramecium bursaria (Ehrenberg) and an endozoic zoochlorella Chlorella conductrix (Brandt) live in a symbiotic relationship. Uptake of NaH14CO3 was studied to determine if carbohydrate products of photosynthesis are transferred to the host paramecium.Paramecium bursaria containing the algal symbionts took up NaH14CO3 but those without the algal symbionts did not. Radioactive maltose, glucose, fructose and malate were identified from the ethanolic extract of paramecia.Transfer of materials from Paramecium to Chlorella and the transfer of other materials from Chlorella to Paramecium, led to the conclusion that this is a mutualistic relationship, both organisms benefiting from the relationship.