Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-08T00:15:06.076Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Gene expression and phenotypic change in Paramecium tetraurelia exconjugants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 April 2009

James D. Berger
James D. Berger
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1W5, Canada* 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.

A study of the patterns of phenotypic change in exconjugants using the recessive behavioural mutant pawn (pwA) and its wild-type allele shows that both cytoplasmic and nuclear factors contribute to phenomic lag. Following loss of the wild-type allele from the macronucleus, phenomic lag lasts for 6–11 cell cycles in various sublines of a single clone. Inherited cytoplasmic material is estimated to be responsible for phenomic lag of no more than 5–6 cell cycles. Longer persistence of the parental phenotype is due to continued gene activity in macronuclear fragments carrying the wild-type allele. Genes in fragments remain active and can result in maintenance of the parental phenotype as long as fragments are present (up to 11 cell cycles).

Phenomic lag in the other direction, from pawn to wild type, varies from 0 to 2 cell cycles. The major cytoplasmic factor involved is the amount of wild-type material acquired from the mate during conjugation. Extensive cytoplasmic exchange often occurs during normal conjugation and can lead to change of phenotype as early as the first meiotic division. Phenotypic change due to gene expression in macronuclear anlagen brings about phenotypic change near the end of the first cell cycle in +/+ cells and about a cell cycle later in heterozygotes.

Type
Research Article
Information
Genetics Research , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , April 1976 , pp. 123 - 134
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

References

REFERENCES

Beers, Y. (1953). Introduction to the Theory of Error. Cambridge, Mass.: Addison-Wesley.Google Scholar
Berger, J. D. (1971). Kinetics of incorporation of DNA precursors from ingested bacteria into macromolecular DNA of Paramecium aurelia. Journal of Protozoology 18, 419–429.Google Scholar
Berger, J. D. (1973). Nuclear differentiation and nucleic acid synthesis in well-fed exconjugants of Paramecium aurelia. Chromosoma (Berlin) 42, 247–268.Google Scholar
Berger, J. D. (1974). Selective autolysis of nuclei as a source of DNA precursors in Paramecium aurelia exconjugants. Journal of Protozoology 21, 145–152.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chang, S. Y., Van Houten, J., Guyer, L. R., Lui, S. S. & Kung, C. (1974). An extensive behavioural and genetic analysis of the Pawn mutants in Paramecium aurelia. Genetical Research (Cambridge) 23, 165–173.Google Scholar
Cullis, C. A. (1972). The basis of cell-to-cell transformation in Paramecium bursaria. I. Transfer of cytoplasmic material. Journal of Cell Science 11, 601–610.Google Scholar
DeGaris, C. F. (1935). Heritable effects of conjugation between free individuals and double monsters in diverse races of Paramecium caudatum. Journal of Experimental Zoology 71, 209–256.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dryl, S. (1959). Antigenic transformation in Paramecium aurelia after homologous antiserum treatment during conjugation or autogamy. Journal of Protozoology 6 (supplement), 25.Google Scholar
Jurand, A. & Selman, G. G. (1969). The Anatomy of Paramecium aurelia. London: Macmillan; New York: St Martin's.Google Scholar
Kimball, R. F. (1939). A delayed change of phenotype following a change of genotype in Paramecium aurelia. Genetics 24, 49–58.Google Scholar
Kung, C. (1971). Genic mutants with altered system of excitation in Paramecium aurelia. I. Phenotypes of the behavioural mutants. Zeitschrift für vergleichende Physiologie 71, 142–164.Google Scholar
Kung, C. & Eckert, R. (1972). Genetic modification of electrical properties in an excitable membrane. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A. 69, 93–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Metz, C. B. (1954). Mating substances and the physiology of fertilization in ciliates. In Sex in Microorganisms (ed. Wenrich, D. H.), pp. 284–334. Washington, D.C.American Association for Advancement of Science.Google Scholar
McDonald, B. B. (1964). Exchange of RNA and protein during conjugation in Tetrahymena. Journal of Protozoology 13, 277–285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pollock, S. (1974). Mutations affecting the trichocysts in Paramecium aurelia. Morphology and description of the mutants. Journal of Protozoology 21, 352–362.Google Scholar
Schneider, L. (1963). Electronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen der Konjugation von Paramecium. I. Die Auflosung und Neubildung der Zellmembran dei den Konjugaten. Protoplasma 56, 109–140.Google Scholar
Sokal, R. R. & Rohlf, F. J. (1969). Biometry. San Francisco: Freeman.Google Scholar
Sonneborn, T. M. (1940). The relation of macronuclear regeneration in Paramecium aurelia to macronuclear structure, amitosis and genetic determination. Anatomical Record 78 (supplement), 53–54.Google Scholar
Sonneborn, T. M. (1944). Exchange of cytoplasm at conjugation in Paramecium aurelia, variety 4. Anatomical Record 89 (supplement), 49.Google Scholar
Sonneborn, T. M. (1947). Recent advances in the genetics of Paramecium and Euplotes. Advances in Genetics 1, 263–358.Google Scholar
Sonneborn, T. M. (1953). Environmental control of the duration of phenomic or cytoplasmic lag in Paramecium aurelia. Microbial Genetics Bulletin 7, 23.Google Scholar
Sonneborn, T. M. (1954). Gene-controlled aberrant nuclear behavior in Paramecium aurelia. Microbial Genetics Bulletin 11, 24–25.Google Scholar
Sonneborn, T. M. (1970). Methods in Paramecium research. In Methods in Cell Physiology 4, 241–339.Google Scholar
Sonneborn, T. M. (1974). Paramecium aurelia. In Handbook of Genetics, vol. 2 (ed. King, R. C.), pp. 461–594. New York: Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Sonneborn, T. M. (1975). The Paramecium aurelia complex of 14 sibling species. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society 94, 155–178.Google Scholar
Sonneborn, T. M. & Lynch, R. S. (1934). Hybridization and segregation in Paramecium aurelia. Journal of Experimental Zoology 67, 1–72.Google Scholar
Stocker, B. A. D. (1956). Abortive transduction of motility in Salmonella, a non-replicated gene transmitted through many generations to a single descendent. Journal of General Microbiology 15, 575–598.CrossRefGoogle Scholar