Summary
Streptomycin-like antibiotics cause hereditary and irreversible aplastidity of Euglena gracilis by inhibiting the replication of plastids, while normal cell division is maintained.
Therefore, a gradual dilution of plastids takes place in a multiplying culture. Streptomycin was found to be more effective as bleaching agent than dihydrostreptomycin. The cells of Euglena gracilis are totally deprived of plastids by streptomycin treatment after 4.5 cell divisions, while 9 cell divisions are required with dihydrostreptomycin. In addition to the inhibition of plastid replication both antibiotics bring about formation of pathological plastids, both in growing and in stationary cultures. In this latter case pathological plastids are released from cells only after further cell division has taken place.
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Ebringer, L., Nemec, P., Santová, H. et al. Changes of the plastid system of Euglena gracilis induced with streptomycin and dihydrostreptomycin. Arch. Mikrobiol. 73, 268–280 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00410628
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00410628