CHANGES IN cAMP AND cGMP CONCENTRATION, BIREFRINGENT FIBRILS AND CONTRACTILE ACTIVITY ACCOMPANYING UV AND BLUE LIGHT PHOTOAVOIDANCE IN PLASMODIA OF AN ALBINO STRAIN OF Physarum polycephalum

Photoavoidance by plasmodia of an albino strain of Physarum polycephalum was studied. When the organism was irradiated locally, the protoplasm moved away from the irradiated region. The action spectrum for this avoidance showed three peaks at about 260, 370 and 460 nm. The organism was about one hundred times as sensitive to far UV as to near UV and blue light, and high intensity far‐UV caused the gelation of the protoplasm. Irradiation with UV or blue light increased the mean level or the amplitude of oscillation in intracellular cAMP and cGMP concentrations. Upon UV irradiation, birefringent fibrils, presumably microfilaments of F‐actin, became thick and numerous, and the plasmodial strand generated a strong tensile force. It is postulated that UV or blue light brings about an increased concentration of cyclic nucleotides which leads to an enhanced local development of contractile fibrils which squeeze protoplasmic sol from the area, resulting in photoavoidance.