Cytophotometric study of nuclear proteins during embryogenesis in two nematode species, Ascaris lumbricoides and Panagrellus silusiae

Chromosome diminution in Ascaris suum. Two-fold increase of nucleosomal histone to DNA ratios during development

The swine intestinal nematode, Ascaris suum, eliminates chromatin material from its primordial somatic cells during early embryogenesis. A technique for isolation of nuclei from pre- and post-diminution stage embryos has been developed and these isolated nuclei were used in investigations of nuclear events during diminution. The amount of DNA per nucleus determined by diphenylamine assays and isotope dilutions was 0.66 pg and 0.29 pg in pre- and post-diminution nuclei, respectively. Thus, A. suum loses 56% of its nuclear DNA during diminution. The loss of nuclear DNA enabled in vivo examination of histone to DNA ratios as a function of changes in DNA quantities. Ascaris histones were identified by acid extractability and tryptic fingerprint comparison with rat liver histones. Measurement of histone quantities was accomplished using linearity of Coomassie blue binding to histones separated in dodecyl sulfate gels. Ascaris nucleosomal histones levels were relatively constant in pre- and post-diminution nuclei. However, nucleosomal histone to DNA ratios approximately doubled during diminution.

Cytophotometric analysis of basic nuclear proteins during gametogenesis in the free-living nematode Panagrellus silusiae

The cytochemical staining characteristics of basic nuclear proteins during gametogenesis in both sexes of the free-living nematode Panagrellus silusiae were monitored by absorption microspectrophotometry. During spermatogenesis, the levels of both of the nuclear-bound Sakaguchi and 1-fluoro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (FDNB) reagents per Feulgen-DNA content increase prior to meiosis and subsequently drop off during spermiogenesis. During oogenesis, the amount of Sakaguchi-protein to DNA ratio rises slightly whereas the FDNB-protein to DNA ratio undergoes a meagre decline. Since the oocyte of Panagrellus accumulates DNA in excess of a 4C DNA equivalent, the relative constancy of the ratio of basic nuclear protein content to DNA amount during oogenesis signifies that these proteins are being continously produced during oocyte maturation. After treatment with alkaline fast green (pH 8.1) the cytoplasmic and nuclear regions of the gonocytes of both sexes yield such an intense reaction that microspectrophotometric measurements could not be taken. The basis of the cytoplasmic staining reaction to the fast green (pH 8.1) dye was not determined. The rapid, highly deterministic programme of embryogenesis in Panagrellus may require a substantial stockpiling of basic nuclear proteins during oogenesis.

An analysis of MP gene affected morphogenesis in Tetrahymena pyriformis, syngen 1, (Species 1) ciliates

The recessive mp gene in syngen 1 (Species 1) of Tetrahymena pyriformis results in a characteristic set of abnormalities of the adoral membranelles, commonly including some extra membranellar segments (Kaczanowski, '75). The abnormal pattern is produced in about 10% of dividing cells, compared to 80% of cells undergoing oral replacement. Thus the percentage of abnormal cells increases during prolonged stationary phase. Abnormal oral replacement arises primarily for a separation of two kinetosomal fields: the field of kinety no. 1 (the K-1 field), and the anterior field originating from the displaced undulating membrane. Both sites of proliferation appear also during wild type morphogenesis, but they fuse early to form one integrated field (Frankel, '69). The prolonged separation of the subfields in mp/mp cells results in a separate assembly of adoral membranelles; however, the independently developing membranelles of the two subfields are united later to produce a single oral apparatus. A single gene-dependent factor apparently alters some property of the cortical layer, which in turn is responsible for a reduced integrity of the oral replacement primordium.