CHEMOTACTIC RESPONSE OF UNICELLULAR TETRAHYMENA TO A LEUKOCYTE ATTRACTANT PEPTIDE AND ITS REPELLENT DERIVATE - EVOLUTIONARY CONCLUSIONS

Chemotactic properties of the leukocyte chemoattractant N-formyl-Norleucine-Leucine-Phenylalanine (NLP) and its antagonist N-t-BOC-Norleucine-Leucine-Phenylalanine (BOC-NLP) were investigated in unicellular Tetrahymena pyriformis cells. NLP express its attractant character in a two-peak profile of concentration course (maximum at 10-8-10-7 M and 10-11 M) while BOC-NLP has a constant repellent character (maximum at 10-12 M). The observed homology of action concurs with our theory about the wide evolutionary background of signal molecules and receptors. © 1994 Academic Press. All rights reserved.