Studies on the activities of suspensions of Isotricha intestinalis and I. prostoma freshly isolated from sheep rumen and washed almost free from bacteria were made by using [14C]-amino acids and 14C-labelled Escherichia coli. Bacteria were taken up by the protozoa at an approximately linear rate of up to 3000 bacteria/protozoon/hr for 24 hr, after which time at least 40% of the bacterial carbon was no longer in the form of whole bacteria. Arnino acids supplied to the protozoa, either free in the medium or as intact bacteria, were incorporated unchanged into protozoal protein. Addition of individual free 12C-amino acids to the medium partially inhibited incorporation into protozoal protein of 14C from Escherichia coli labelled with the 14C form of the same amino acid.
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