Post-meiotic DNA synthesis in nocodazole-blocked nuclei during conjugation of Tetrahymena thermophila : Induction of polyploidy in the micronucleus

The formation of single, polyploid micronuclei was induced during conjugation of Tetrahymena thermophila with Nocodazole (ND) according to Kaczanowski et al. The increase in DNA content in these nuclei was measured cytophotometrically in conjugating pairs continuously exposed to the drug. ND-treated micronuclei ('restitution nuclei') undergo two complete rounds of DNA replication and enter the third at the time of pair separation. The DNA content of these micronuclei in late pairs was in the range 16-30C (mean 20C). This amount was similar to the sum of the DNA content of all post-meiotic products during normal conjugation at about the same stage. Thus the increase in DNA content in 'restitution' nuclei reflects some intrinsic ability of nuclei in pairing cells to replicate DNA independently of nuclear division.