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Fig. 1 | BMC Genomics

Fig. 1

From: Flow cytometry sorting of nuclei enables the first global characterization of Paramecium germline DNA and transposable elements

Fig. 1

Nuclear dimorphism and programmed DNA elimination in Paramecium tetraurelia. Left panel. Each cell contains two distinct types of nuclei: two diploid germline micronuclei (MIC, 2n) and one highly polyploid somatic macronucleus (MAC, 800n). Both nuclei develop from copies of the zygotic nucleus after fertilization. Right panel. Massive and reproducible elimination of germline DNA occurs during macronuclear development. Imprecise elimination of germline DNA containing repetitive sequences such as minisatellites (hatched rectangle) and transposable elements (double-headed arrow) is associated with the fragmentation of germline chromosomes into shorter macronuclear molecules healed by de novo telomere addition (black rectangles). In addition, 45,000 short, non-coding Internal Eliminated Sequences (IESs) (red rectangles) scattered throughout the germline genome are precisely excised from coding and intergenic sequences, restoring open reading frames and allowing gene expression

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