Radiation-induced fluctuation of the polysome content in adequately oxygenated tetrahymena pyriformis

The polysome content of the ciliate protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis is transiently reduced by gamma-irradiation. In order to test whether this is a result of a respiration-produced or radiation-produced hypoxia or some other mechanism, the oxygen content of the culture was determined during and after irradiation, and the polysome contents and rates of amino acid incorporation were measured with and without air bubbling. Irradiation (40 krad at approximately 3 krad/min) produced approximately a 25 per cent loss in dissolved O2 content in the medium. This decrease is not sufficient to affect the polysome level, since (a) the same radiation-induced loss of polysomes and inhibiition of amino acid incorporation was observed whether or not the culture was bubbled with air during the irradiation and (b) bubbling unirradiated cultures with gas mixtures containing as little as 17 per cent of the normal O2 content did not influence the polysome level. As long as the cells are irradiated as a shallow layer in open flasks, replacement of O2 from the gas phase appears adequate, and neither respiration-induced nor radiation-induced hypoxia masks the effects of the radiation.