Delayed degradation of parental macronuclear DNA in programmed nuclear death of Paramecium caudatum

Genesis : the Journal of Genetics and Development
Naomi KimuraHiroshi Endoh

Abstract

In the ciliated protozoan Paramecium caudatum, a parental macronucleus that is fragmented into some 40-50 pieces during conjugation does not degenerate immediately, but persists until the eighth cell cycle after conjugation. Here we demonstrate that the initiation of the parental macronuclear degeneration occurs at about the fifth cell cycle. The size of parental macronuclear fragments continued to increase between the first and fourth cell cycle, but gradually decreased thereafter. By contrast, a new macronucleus grew and reached a maximum size by the fourth cell cycle, suggesting that the new macronucleus matured by that stage. Southern blot analysis revealed that parental macronuclear DNA was degraded at about the fifth cell cycle. The degradation was supported by acridine orange staining, indicating degeneration of the macronuclear fragments. Prior to the degradation, the fragments once attached to the new macronucleus were subsequently liberated from it. These observations lead us to conclude that once a new macronucleus has been fully formed by the fourth cell cycle, the parental macronuclear fragments are destined to degenerate, probably through direction by new macronucleus. Considering the long persistence of the paren...Continue Reading

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Citations

May 25, 2010·European Journal of Protistology·Xin GaoXianyu Yang
Feb 2, 2010·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part B, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology·Irina V Shemarova
Oct 13, 2007·Cell Biology International·Takahiko Akematsu, Tatsuomi Matsuoka

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