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Artificial induction of autogamy in Paramecium caudatum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 April 2009

Yuuji Tsukii
Affiliation:
Biological Institute, Tohoku University, Aoba-yama, Sendai, 980 Japan
Koichi Hiwatashi
Affiliation:
Biological Institute, Tohoku University, Aoba-yama, Sendai, 980 Japan

Summary

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Three methods of artificial induction of autogamy in Paramecium caudatum were described: (1) treatment with KCl+papain, (2) treatment with KCl and then with KCl + papain and (3) ordinary mating reaction and then treatment with papain. As expected, one-to-one segregation ratios were obtained in the progeny from the parents heterozygous for the two loci: mating type and lactate dehydrogenase. A high rate of autogamy is induced by method (1), but its use is restricted to only a few clones. Autogamy is also induced at a high rate by method (2), by which the induction is more stable. Autogamy is induced at a lower rate by method (3), but this method can be widely applied to every species of Paramecium which has complementary mating types. Some exautogamous progeny become completely sterile through successive autogamy. The cause of this sterility is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

References

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