Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T07:24:29.040Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Cortical morphogenesis in Paramecium aurelia: mutants affecting cell shape

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 April 2009

J. R. S. Whittle
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47401, U.S.A.
L. Chen-Shan
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47401, U.S.A.
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

In order to investigate the importance of the nuclear genotype during morphogenesis of the cortex in Paramecium aurelia, a search was made for conditional and unconditional mutants affecting cell shape. Ten different mutants were readily recovered following mutagenesis with N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine on stock 51s of syngen 4. The detailed pattern of surface units remained unchanged in these mutants but each one can be described as resembling a normal cell twisted about its long axis. Nine of the mutants complement each other and show no linkage. The remaining mutant, a ‘chain former’, has conditional expression, and is only recognizable at 35 °C. The penetrance of this mutant is affected by the food organism used. The conditional mutant also interacts with seven of the other mutants in pairwise homozygous combinations so that in these genotypes it can be classified after growth at 25 °C. The mutants are discussed in relation to the search for genie effects on the cortical pattern.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1972

References

REFERENCES

Beisson, J. & Rossignol, M. (1969). The first case of linkage in Paramecium aurelia. Genetical Research 13, 8590.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beisson, J. & Sonneborn, T. M. (1965). Cytoplasmic inheritance of the organisation of the cell cortex in Paramecium aurelia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A. 53, 275282.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chen-Shan, L. (1969). Cortical morphogenesis in Paramecium aurelia following amputation of the posterior region. Journal of Experimental Zoology 170, 205228.Google Scholar
Chen-Shan, L. (1970). Cortical morphogenesis in Paramecium aurelia following amputation of the anterior region. Journal of Experimental Zoology 174, 463478.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cleland, W. W. (1964). Dithiothreitol, a new protective reagent for SH groups. Biochemistry 3, 480482.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hanson, E. D. (1962). Morphogenesis and regeneration of oral structures in Paramecium aurelia: An analysis of intracellular development. Journal of Experimental Zoology 150, 4568.Google Scholar
Hepler, P. K. & Jackson, W. T. (1969). Isopropyl N-phenyl carbamate affects spindle microtubule orientation of dividing endosperm cells of Haemanthus katherinae Baker. Journal of Cell Science 5, 727743.Google Scholar
Hufnagel, L. (1969). Cortical ultrastructure of Paramecium aurelia. Studies on isolated pellicles. Journal of Cell Biology 40, 779801.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Keim, D. E. & Hanson, E. D. (1964). A morphological variant in Paramecium aurelia. Journal of Protozoology 11, suppl. 10.Google Scholar
Maly, R. (1958). Eine genetisch bedingte Störung der Zelltrennung bei Paramecium aurelia. var. 4. Ein Beitrag zum Problem der Mutabilität plasmatischer Systeme. Zeitschrift für Vererbungslehre 89, 397421.Google Scholar
Siegel, R. W. (1970). Organellar damage and revision as a possible basis for intraclonal damage in Paramecium. Genetics 60, 305314.Google Scholar
Sonneborn, T. M. (1957). Breeding systems, reproductive methods and species problems in ciliates. In The Species Problem, 50, 155324. Washington: American Association for the Advancement of Science.Google Scholar
Sonneborn, T. M. (1963). Does preformed structure play an essential role in cell heredity? In The Nature of Biological Diversity (ed. Allen, J. M.), pp. 165221. New York: McGraw Hill.Google Scholar
Sonneborn, T. M. (1970). Gene action in development. Proceedings of the Royal Society, London B 176, 347366.Google ScholarPubMed
Stocking, R. J. (1915). Variations and inheritance of abnormalities occurring after conjugation in Paramedium caudatum. Journal of Experimental Zoology 19, 387449.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tartar, V. (1954). Anomalies in the regeneration of Paramecium aurelia. Journal of Proto-zoology 1, 1117.Google Scholar
Whittle, J. R. S. (1970). Mutants affecting cell shape in Paramecium aurelia. Heredity 25, 682 (Abstract).Google Scholar