Internalization and localization of membrane-associated DNA in the Tetrahymena

The Tetrahymena does possess membrane-associated DNA, which binds the DNA-ase-gold complex. After binding, the DNA-DNA-ase-gold complex entered the cells mainly in vacuoles delimited by unilamellar membranes, less often in coated vesicles, which released the complex near to the nucleus, to judge from appearance of gold colloid particles along the nuclear membrane and, occasionally, above the nuclear pore or, infrequently, inside the nucleus itself.