Stable and unstable transformation by microinjection of macronucleoplasm in Paramecium

Transformation by microinjection of macronucleoplasm in Paramecium caudatum was investigated. Macronucleoplasm with three genetic markers (behavior, trichocyst, and mating type) was injected into the macronucleus. To facilitate microinjection, in most cases, paramecia were immobilized in a gelatin (7.5%) solution. The injected cells began to express a dominant gene (cnrA+ or cnrB+) of the donor 9-24 hr after injection. Expression did not require cell division suggesting injected macronucleoplasm was capable of expressing a phenotype. The amount of injected macronucleoplasm appears to correlate with the frequency of successful expression but not to correlate with the time required for expression. After a number of fissions, the injected cells produced clones which had cells expressing the phenotype of the donor. This suggests that injected macronucleoplasm was replicated and expressed in the recipient cell lines. The transformed clones were classified into two groups. In one group, transformation was stable. All cell lines derived from the injected cells expressed a phenotype similar to the heterozygote of donor and recipient cells. In the other group, transformation was unstable. During the first five to seven fissions after injection, at each division, cells produced one daughter cell which later reverted to the recipient phenotype. After this unstable period, cells no longer produced the recipient phenotype but produced the donor phenotype exclusively. Donor and recipient phenotypes were, thus, segregated in different cell lines. Observation of genetic markers and analysis by computer simulation shed light on the mode of transmission of injected macronucleoplasm. In stable transformation, injected macronucleoplasm appears to be distributed equally to daughter cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)