Recovery of Tetrahymena thermophila from degranulation

The object was to identify genes that are upregulated during the recovery of cells from stimulation of granule exocytosis, when new granules are being synthesized. The granules are also known as mucocysts. To distinguish between genes upregulated due to demands of granule synthesis, vs genes upregulated in response to the exocytic stimulus per se, we exploited a mutant cell line, MN173, that does not release its granules on stimulation. Total RNA was isolated from cells prior to stimulation of exocytosis, and then 60 minutes post stimulation. In parallel, cells from the MN173 mutant line were treated and processed equivalently.