Evidence of Extensive Fragmentation of Macronuclear DNA in Two Non-Hypotrichous Ciliates |
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| Authors: | G. METENIER J.-D. HUFSCHMID |
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| Affiliation: | Groupe de Zoologie et Protistologie, Universitéde Clermont 2, Complexe Scientifique des Cézeaux, B.P. 45, 63170 Aubière, France |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACT. Total cellular DNA from the ciliates Halteria grandinella and Trithigmostoma cucullulus was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The macronuclear DNA (MAC DNA) of Halteria consisted of very small fragments, which suggests that the MAC DNA organization of oligotrichs resembles that of hypotrichs (gene-sized DNA). The MAC DNA of Trithigmostoma , a cyrtophorid having a heteromeric MAC, also existed as small fragments, but with a significant fraction (20–30%) comprising larger molecules unresolved by the method used. It is suggested that MAC heteromery is related to the differential localization of two kinds of DNA molecules of different sizes. |
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