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Journal of Experimental Biology 40,149-156 (1963)
Published by Company of Biologists 1963

Movement of the Flagella of Polytoma Uvella

C. J. BROKAW ¹

¹ Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California

1. Dark-field photographic records of the wave patterns of moving flagella have been made using multiple-flash exposures at flash rates of up to 50 per sec. Patterns obtained from ATP-reactivated isolated flagella show reduced amplitude of bending, but are otherwise similar to those obtained from flagella under normal conditions. The co-ordination required to produce propagated waves of active bending appears to be preserved after isolation and reactivation.

2. Addition of methyl cellulose to the medium to increase the viscosity reduces the frequency of beat much more than the amplitude. This behaviour can be partially explained by an analysis of the equations for sinusoidal wave movement of flagella which shows that maximum efficiency of forward swimming will be obtained if the amplitude of beat is maintained greater than times the wavelength, and variations in available power or viscosity are compensated by changes in beat frequency.

3. Wave patterns at low frequencies in low ATP concentrations are unlike those obtained when the frequency is reduced by increased viscosity. The effect of ATP concentration on beat frequency is not explained by an effect on the power available for beating or by an effect on the ‘internal viscosity‘ of the flagella.

Note:

Much of the work reported here was carried out in the Department of Zoology at the University of Minnesota, with support from the United States Public Health Service (RG-7208) and the Graduate School of the University of Minnesota. At the California Institute of Technology the work has been supported by the United States Public Health Service (RG-6965) and the Max C.Fleischmann Foundation of Nevada.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. J. Brokaw Flagellar Movement: A Sliding Filament Model: An explanation is suggested for the spontaneous propagation of bending waves by flagella Science, November 3, 1972; 178(4060): 455 - 462. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. J. Brokaw Adenosine Triphosphate Usage by Flagella Science, April 7, 1967; 156(3771): 76 - 78. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. J. Brokaw and L. Wright Bending Waves of the Posterior Flagellum of Ceratium Science, November 29, 1963; 142(3596): 1169 - 1170. [Abstract] [PDF]