The Temporal Mapping of Tetrahymena Thermophila’s Cell Life Cycle Via Nutritional Synchronization

Abstract

Tetrahymena thermophila serves as a model organism that is used to study various fields about biology, however, there is limited research on the specific timing of the cell cycle’s stages. Therefore, the objective of this study was to provide a detailed temporal map of T. thermophila’s cell life cycle. Using a nutritional approach described by Cameron & Jeter (1970), a culture of T. thermophila was synchronized to the G1 stage of the cell life cycle via starvation and was then sampled every 46 minutes over 144 minutes. For each sample, a hemocytometer and nanodrop were used to assess cell and DNA concentrations respectively. Additionally, an unsynchronized control culture was used to assess the impact of the starvation technique on T. thermophila. Although this study did not obtain data significant enough to meet our primary objective of mapping T. thermophila's cell life cycle, it provides ample information regarding the use of T. thermophila as a model organism and potential mistakes that may be avoided in future research when utilizing similar nutritional techniques. The results of this experiment suggest that, prior to incubation, cell densities of T. thermophila should be greater than a magnitude of 10³ cells/mL. Likewise, cell densities should be greater than a magnitude of 10² cells/mL during refeeding if significant data is to be obtained regarding DNA concentrations. Moreover, this study implicates precise preparation and normalization of T. thermophila cultures in the procurement of adequate cell densities and the success of nutritional approaches involving incubation and starvation in mapping T. thermophila’s cell cycle.