Mutants of TETRAHYMENA THERMOPHILA with Temperature-Sensitive Food Vacuole Formation. I. Isolation and Genetic Characterization.

Germ-line mutants have been isolated in Tetrahymena thermophila that have recessive, temperature-sensitive defects in phagocytosis. Nitrosoguanidine-mutagenized cells were induced to undergo cytogamy, and clones were isolated that were unable to form food vacuoles after two days of growth at 39 degrees . Most of the mutants belong to a single complementation group, designated vacA. They have defects in oral development-not in phagocytosis per se-that are undetectable under light microscopy. One fertile mutant, phenotypically indistinguishable from the vacA group, has its vac mutation(s) restricted to the macronucleus, and it is a heterokaryon for two other markers. This clone probably resulted from a failure of the two gametic nuclei to fuse after normal exchange. Two additional mutants were studied, but their sterility prevented a full genetic analysis. One of these clones has a rudimentary oral apparatus and defective contractile vacuole pores; both defects may be determined by the same mutation. The other clone has a structurally normal oral apparatus and may be defective in phagocytosis per se.-The induction and characterization of germ-line mutations that affect oral development open the way for the genetic dissection of the morphogenesis of a complex eukaryotic organelle, and make available additional useful mutants for the study of nutrition and transmembrane active transport.