Changes in nuclear structure during binary fission in the ciliate Nassula

Abstract

During binary fission intranuclear spindles are formed in the three micronuclei and in the macronucleus. The nuclear envelopes remain intact throughout nuclear division. At one stage all the nuclei are linked together by the formation of membrane bridges in continuity with the outer membranes of their envelopes. Three types of filamentous structure have been distinguished in the spindles: microtubules of diameter 210–240 Å, fine branching filaments, and filaments which have a C-shaped transverse profile and a diameter of about 240 Å, for which the term C-filament is suggested. At metaphase a polar vesicle is situated at each pole of the micronuclei but centrioles are absent. During late anaphase a long central spindle, called here a separation spindle, is situated inside eachmicronucleus and elongates between the separating chromosomes. The nuclear pores of both types of nuclei are partly filled with dense material. In long, late anaphase micronuclei, pores are abundant in the parts of the envelope surrounding the ends of the nuclei but are rarely found elsewhere. Large numbers of ribosome-like granules are attached to the outer surfaces of the micronuclear envelopes where they sheathe the separation spindles.