A member of the ciliate lineage, characterized in typical examples by cilia and distinct germline and somatic nuclear systems. Sexual and nuclear-development details differ across species.
The separation of germline and somatic nuclear functions in distinct nuclei. In ciliates, a micronucleus preserves germline inheritance while a macronucleus supports vegetative expression.
The somatic nuclear compartment of a ciliate, often highly polyploid. Development can involve DNA elimination and amplification, and vegetative inheritance can involve amitotic division.
The germline nuclear compartment of a ciliate. It contributes meiotic and zygotic inheritance, rather than supplying most vegetative transcription.
A ciliate genus used to study nuclear dimorphism, conjugation, autogamy and epigenetic inheritance. Nuclear-cycle details and mating-type mechanisms differ between species.
A model ciliate in which small-RNA-guided developmental DNA elimination contributes to mating-type inheritance, including regulation of the mtA promoter.
A model ciliate with seven mating types and developmentally programmed somatic genome rearrangement. Compatible cells exchange pronuclei during conjugation; population increase occurs separately through fission.
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