Abstract
DNA was cytophotometrically measured in Feulgen stained nuclei of R-2, the giant neuron of the abdominal ganglion in Aplysia. The data indicate that the nucleus hag a volume of more than 7 X 106 μ3 in large animals, and contains as much as 75000 times the haploid amount of DNA. To our knowledge, this is the most highly polyploid nucleus yet described. Furthermore, the amount of DNA increases with growth, going from approximately 2000 times the haploid amount in small animals to over 75000 times in large animals. The data suggest that the increase in DNA occurs in increments, each increment having approximately twice the DNA as the one before. Thus we suggest that the increase in DNA in the nucleus of R-2 results from the entire genome replicating without accompanying cell division.
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This study was supported by USPHS Grants no. 5R01NS07711 and 5R01-NS08109 and NSF grant no. GB7284. Richard E. Coggeshall is a recipient of Career Development Award 5-K3-GM-31754 and Frank J. Swartz is a recipient of a travelling fellowship GM05079.
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Coggeshall, R.E., Yaksta, B.A. & Swartz, F.J. A Cytophotometric analysis of the DNA in the nucleus of the giant cell, R-2, in Aplysia . Chromosoma 32, 205–212 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00286009
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00286009