Summary
Strain CL ofPhysarum polycephalum forms multinucleate plasmodia within clones of uninucleate amoebae. The plasmodia have the same nuclear DNA content as the amoebae. Analysis of plasmodial development, using time-lapse cinematography, showed that binucleate cells were formed as a result of nuclear division in uninucleate cells. Binucleate cells developed into plasmodia by further nuclear divisions and cell fusions. No fusions involving uninucleate cells were observed. A temporary increase in cell and nuclear size occurred at the time of binucleate cell formation.
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Anderson, R.W., Cooke, D.J. & Dee, J. Apogamic development of plasmodia in the myxomycetePhysarum polycephalum: a cinematographic analysis. Protoplasma 89, 29–40 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01279326
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01279326