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Giant Chromosomes in Protozoa

Abstract

So far as we know polytene chromosomes have been previously observed only as typical structures in the salivary gland cells of Diptera, and in certain plant cells. By using orcein we have been able to demonstrate such structures (Fig. 1) in the macronuclear anlage of Stylonychia muscorum Kahl (a hypotrichous ciliate). According to our preliminary observations, there are in this species 50–60 giant chromosomes which show a great diversity in both size and banding. They range from 15µ to 55µ, in length, and from 0.8µ to 2.5µ in width.

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ALONSO, P., PÉBEZ-SILVA, J. Giant Chromosomes in Protozoa. Nature 205, 313–314 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1038/205313a0

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