The Journal of Cell Biology, Vol 95, 589-597, Copyright © 1982 by The Rockefeller University Press
ATP reactivation of the rotary axostyle in termite flagellates: effects of dynein ATPase inhibitors
MA Yamin and SL Tamm
The anterior end or head of a devescovinid flagellate from termites
continually rotates in a clockwise direction relative to the rest of the
cell. Previous laser microbeam experiments showed that rotational motility
is caused by a noncontractile axostyle complex which runs from the head
through the cell body and generates torque along its length. We report here
success in obtaining glycerinated cell models of the rotary axostyle which,
upon addition of ATP, undergo reactivation and exhibit rotational movements
similar to those observed in vivo. Reactivation of rotational motility and
flagellar beating of the models requires ATP or ADP and is competitively
inhibited by nonhydrolyzable ATP analogs (AMP-PNP and ATP-gamma-S).
N-ethylmaleimide, p- hydroxymercuribenzoate, and mersalyl acid also blocked
reactivation of both the rotary axostyle and flagella. Vanadate and
erythro-9-[3-(2- hydroxynonyl)]-adenine (EHNA) selectively inhibited
flagellar reactivation without effecting rotational motility. These
results, together with previous ultrastructural findings, suggest that the
rotary axostyle does not operate by a dynein-based mechanism but may be
driven by an actomyosin system with a circular arrangement of interacting
elements.
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