Ref ID : 7734
Stephen F. NG and Ann Newman; The Role of the Micronucleus in Stomatogenesis in Sexual Reproduction of Paramecium tetraurelia: Conjugation of Amicronucleates. Protistologica XX(4):517-523, 1984
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Amicronucleate Paramecium tetraurelia of opposite mating types were generated by removal of the micronuclei with a micropipette. The amicronucleates were allowed to conjugate and the process of stomatogenesis was studied with silver-impregnation. Stomatogenesis progressed through the formation of a field of basal bodies (stage 1) but was arrested during the alignment of these into parallel rows (stage 2). Thereafter the basal bodies were mostly resorbed and the vestibule degenerated. None of the exconjugants possessed oral membranelles or buccal cavity; with the degeneration of the old oral apparatus they eventually perished. Thus the micronucleus is an absolute requirement for a stage-specific stomatogenic step leading to the development of the oral membranelles.