Type of Submission
Poster
Keywords
Tetrahymena, climate change, epigenetics, methylation, acetylation
Proposal
Tetrahymena thermophila are free-living, nonparasitic unicellular eukaryotic organisms that are generally representative of other microorganisms. For this experiment, we were interested in measuring the change in gene expression caused by stressing Tetrahymena, specifically by increasing the culture temperature. In our studies, gene expression was observed by measuring mitotic rates, acetylation and methylation of histones, and mitochondrial biogenesis in response to heat shock. We used a variety of techniques to accomplish this, including cell counting via hemocytometer, immunofluorescence visualization and quantitation, and staining with MitoTracker™. Tetrahymena's response to the increase in environmental temperatures could give us some insight into the effects of climate change on unicellular organisms.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Publication Date
2023
Tetrahymena Thermophila as an Indicator Species for Climate Change
Tetrahymena thermophila are free-living, nonparasitic unicellular eukaryotic organisms that are generally representative of other microorganisms. For this experiment, we were interested in measuring the change in gene expression caused by stressing Tetrahymena, specifically by increasing the culture temperature. In our studies, gene expression was observed by measuring mitotic rates, acetylation and methylation of histones, and mitochondrial biogenesis in response to heat shock. We used a variety of techniques to accomplish this, including cell counting via hemocytometer, immunofluorescence visualization and quantitation, and staining with MitoTracker™. Tetrahymena's response to the increase in environmental temperatures could give us some insight into the effects of climate change on unicellular organisms.
