Paramecium: Genetics and Epigenetics

Foreword Introduction Introduction Genetics Paramecium The Early Workers Discarded Hypotheses Epigenetics Conclusions Mating Types in Paramecium Mating Types and the Species Problem in Ciliates General Description of the Protista and Paramecium Introduction Morphology Reproduction The Life Cycle Methods of Studying Genetic Processes in Organisms of the Paramecium aurelia Species Group Isolation of Cells and Preparation of Pure Clones Obtaining Complementary Mating Types Mendelian Transmission Caryonidal Transmission Cytoplasmic Transmission Methods of Identifying Genetically Defined Genes with Their DNA The Determination of Mating Types in Paramecium Introduction Caryonidal Inheritance The Cytoplasmic Effect Independence of the Cytoplasmic Effect and the Phenotype The O* Phenotype: A New Cytoplasmic State The Pure E Mutant Micronuclear Determination Selfers Mating Types in Species Other Than Those in the P. aurelia Complex A Hypothesis to Explain Mating Type Inheritance Symbionts and Mitochondria of Paramecium Introduction The Plasmagene Hypothesis The Kinds of Symbionts The Metagon Mitochondria Conclusions Determination of I-Antigens Introduction The Immobilization Test and Serotypes The Genetic System of I-Antigens Chemistry and Molecular Biology of I-Antigens Control of Expression of I-Antigen Genes Conclusions Ploidy Levels Activity of Micronuclei and Macronuclei Programmed Chromosomal Breaks and Telomeres Internal Eliminated Sequences Induced Mendelian Deletions Maintaining Genic Balance at Macronuclear Division The Paramecium Genome Project Nuclear Dualism Ribosomal RNA and DNA The Early Work of Findly and Gall More Recent Studies Micronuclear DNA and a Model Variants Cortical Morphogenesis Double Animals Cortical Mutants Trichocysts Behavior Introduction Mutants Genetics Cell Models Measuring the Electric Properties of the Cell Membrane The Avoiding Reaction Ion Channels Behavioral Responses Other Than the Avoiding Reaction Conclusions Epigenetics Symbionts and Mitochondria Serotype Inheritance Mating Type Inheritance Cortical Inheritance Homology-Dependent Inheritance Conclusions Index References appear at the end of each chapter.

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