▪ Abstract The germline genomes of ciliated protozoa are dynamic structures, undergoing
massive DNA rearrangement during the formation of a functional macronucleus. Macronuclear …

In hypotrichous ciliates, all of the macronuclear DNA is in the form of low molecular weight
molecules with an average size of approximately 2200 base pairs. Total macronuclear DNA …

… aediculatus La motif protein mRNA in the vicinity of the frameshift site is shown, along
with the predicted translation products from the 0 and +1 frame ORFs. The AAA-UAA-A motif …

Strict one-to-one correspondence between codons and amino acids is thought to be an
essential feature of the genetic code. However, we report that one codon can code for two …

Bacillus spores are highly resistant to many environmental stresses, owing in part to the
presence of multiple “extracellular” layers. Although the role of some of these extracellular layers …

Diverse microbial ecosystems underpin life in the sea. Among these microbes are many
unicellular eukaryotes that span the diversity of the eukaryotic tree of life. However, genetic …

During the formation of a transcriptionally active macronucleus, ciliated protozoa excise large
numbers of interstitial segments of DNA (internal eliminated sequences; lESs) from their …

In several species of ciliates, the universal stop codons UAA and UAG are translated into
glutamine, while in the euplotids, the glutamine codon usage is normal, but UGA appears to be …

The ribosome can change its reading frame during translation in a process known as programmed
ribosomal frameshifting. These rare events are supported by complex mRNA signals. …

In vertebrates, phagocytosis occurs mainly in specialized cells of the immune system and
serves as a primary defense against invading pathogens, but it also plays a role in clearing …