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Organization of Genetic Material in the Macronucleus of Hypotrichous Ciliates

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Handbook of Genetics

Abstract

Hypotrichous ciliates (e.g., Euplotes, Oxytricha, Stylonychia), like most other ciliated protozoans, possess two morphologically and functionally distinct nuclei, macronuclei and micronuclei. The macronuclei are large, divide amitotically, and function as somatic nuclei with distinct nucleoli and active ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis. Micronuclei are small, divide by mitosis, and have little or no RNA synthesis. The primary function of a micronucleus is to give rise to a new macronucleus each time the cells undergo conjugation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratories of Virology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

    Kuruganti G. Murti

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  1. Kuruganti G. Murti
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA

    Robert C. King (Professor of Genetics) (Professor of Genetics)

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© 1976 Plenum Press, New York

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Murti, K.G. (1976). Organization of Genetic Material in the Macronucleus of Hypotrichous Ciliates. In: King, R.C. (eds) Handbook of Genetics. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-7148-3_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-7148-3_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-7150-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-7148-3

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