Euglena gracilis, A Test Organism for Study of Zinc

Abstract

Euglena gracilis (Klebs) was examined as a test organism for studying the metabolism of zinc. In the absence of added zinc growth was reproducibly very low. The zinc contents of the harvested cells were as low as 5%, of the zinc-sufficient controls. Spectrographic, flame spectrophotometric, and microchemical analysis of other metals in the cells indicated that zinc alon e was limiting growth. Copper content increased 10-fold in zinc deficiency. The cells could be quantitatively disrupted under relatively mild conditions. The authors concluded that Euglena is well suited for studying the biochemical consequences of zinc deficiency.