The ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena handles its genetic information in a way that

Question

The ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena handles its genetic information in a way that is different from many other organisms. It has two types of nuclei: micronuclei and macronuclei. Micronuclei, which are used in mating, have the full complement of genes for the organism. Macronuclei, which are responsible for vegetative functions, have a subset of the organism's genes in which genes needed most are over-replicated while others are under-replicated or lost. Does the differentiation of function in nuclei violate the concept of totipotency? Explain and be certain to consider the material presented on page 2-3 in your answer.

Explanation / Answer

Totipotency is the ability of a single cell to divide into the different cells present in the body. Zygotes and spores are examples of totipotent cells which can differentiate into different types of cells.

The micronucleus is the genome which is transferred from generation to generation. The division of the macronucleus is seen only when vegetative growth occurs. The macronucleus contains a specific set of necessary genes while the micronucleus contains the full set. Since, the full set is present, in the micronucleus, the cell is considered as totipotent.

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