Kappa organism

 ( Cell Anatomy ) 

In biology, Kappa organism or Kappa particle refers to inheritable cytoplasmic symbionts, occurring in some strains of the ciliate Paramecium. Paramecium strains possessing the particles are known as "killer paramecia". They liberate a substance also known as paramecin into the culture medium that is lethal to Paramecium that do not contain kappa particles. Kappa particles are found in of Paramecium aurelia syngen 2 that carry the dominant gene K.

Lawrence E. (1999). 9780582227088, Longman Group Ltd.. ISBN 9780582227088

Rieger R. Michaelis A. (1976). 9780387076683, Springer-Verlag. ISBN 9780387076683

Kappa particles are Feulgen-positive and stain with Giemsa after acid hydrolysis. The length of the particles is 0.2–0.5μ.

While there was initial confusion over the status of kappa particles as viruses, bacteria, organelles, Kappa Particles in mediLexicon or mere nucleoprotein, Kappa Particles in McGraw-Hill Science & Technology Dictionary the particles are intracellular bacterial symbionts called Caedibacter taeniospiralis. Caedibacter taeniospiralis contains cytoplasmic protein inclusions called R bodies which act as a toxin delivery system.

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External links

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See also

• R bodies
• Paramecium aurelia

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