MATING-TYPE INHERITANCE AND MATURITY TIMES IN CROSSES BETWEEN SUBSPECIES OF TETRAHYMENA PIGMENTOSA

Ellen M. Simon ¹

¹ Department of Genetics and Development, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801

Subspecies 6 and 8 of T. pigmentosa (formerly syngens 6 and 8 of T. pyriformis) share a mating-type system controlled by three alleles with "peck-order" dominance at a single locus. The system is apparently closed and limited to three mating types that are homologous, but not identical, in the subspecies. These relationships are reflected in new mating-type designations.—The viability in some intersyngenic crosses is excellent, and the inheritance of major mating types in first-generation hybrids and their progeny follows the pattern of subspecies 8.—The period of immaturity is shorter than that previously reported for subspecies 8, with 50% of the subclones maturing between 46 and 100 fissions after conjugation. Maturity curves are generally sigmoid, but some are apparently biphasic. The onset of maturity in triplicate sublines from the same synclone is usually highly correlated.