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Updated: Aug 24, 2026

Structure-function Studies in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Using Recombinase-mediated Cassette Exchange
Published on: April 27, 2017
The epiplasm gene EPC1 influences cell shape and cortical pattern in Tetrahymena thermophila
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA. norman-williams@uiowa.edu
Abstract:
The cortical protein Epc1p is the most abundant protein in the membrane skeleton, or epiplasm, of Tetrahymena thermophila. A partial sequence of the EPC1 gene was obtained and used to obtain a knockout construct that was successful in transforming Tetrahymena thermophila cells. The results support the conclusion that Epc1p influences cell shape and the fidelity of cortical development. It was further observed that this protein is transferred from plus to minus cells during conjugation, and that the imported protein is assembled into the epiplasm of the recipient cell in a discreet series of steps.
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