Volume 23, Issue 4 pp. 552-556
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Motor Responses to Polarized Light and Gravity Sensing in Euglena gracilis*

C. CREUTZ

C. CREUTZ

Department of Chemistry, The University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606

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BODO DIEHN

BODO DIEHN

Department of Chemistry, The University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606

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First published: November 1976
Citations: 51

Supported in part by NSF grant BMS 74–19786.

A portion of this work was presented at the 17th Annual Meeting of The Biophysical Society, Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 27–Mar. 2, 1973.

Abstract

SYNOPSIS. Euglena gracilis strain Z has a motor response which results in orientation with respect to the polarization of a light stimulus. Cells swim preferentially in a direction perpendicular to the plane of polarization of the stimulus. If 2 polarized stimuli are given from opposite directions, the preferred direction is, under certain circumstances, at right angles to the directions of both stimuli. Euglena also preferentially assumes an orientation that is at right angles to the force of gravity. The relationships between these responses and phototactic movements oriented with respect to the direction of the stimulus are discussed.

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