Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Publication Title

Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology

Abstract

Only a limited number of studies exist on the life cycles of nonmodel ciliates such as Chilodonella uncinata (Cl: Phyllopharyngea). The handful of papers on this taxon indicate the presence of a heteromeric macronucleus, marked by separate DNA-rich and DNA-poor regions. Here, we study the life cycle of C. uncinata using confocal laser scanning microscopy with 4′,6-diamidino-2- phenylindole staining, which allows us to differentiate nuclear dynamics of the micronucleus and the macronucleus during life-cycle stages. We photo-documented various stages and confirmed aspects of the development of the new macronucleus previously characterized by electron microscopy. We further reveal the heteromeric structure of the macronucleus with Z-stacks and three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions. We find no evidence for the presence of an endosome at the center of the macronucleus during vegetative growth. In addition to illustrating the life cycle of this ciliate, the approaches developed for this study will enable additional comparative analyses of nuclear dynamics using fluorescence microscopy.

Keywords

confocal microscopy, macronuclear anlage, nuclear dynamics, vegetative cell

Volume

61

Issue

3

First Page

313

Last Page

316

DOI

10.1111/jeu.12109

ISSN

10665234

Rights

© 2014 The Author(s) Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology © 2014 The Author(s) Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology © 2014 International Society of Protistologists.

Comments

Peer reviewed accepted manuscript.

Included in

Biology Commons

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