Genetic analysis of developmental mechanisms in Hydra. IV. Characterization of a nematocyst-deficient strain.

The authors have previously found that mutant hydra strains showing various types of developmental defects can be isolated through sexual inbreeding of wild hydra. One such defective strain, called nem-4, contains virtually no stenoteles, one of the four types of nematocysts present in hydra, in its tentacles. However, stenoteles are present at a normal level in the body column of this strain, and they are turned over also at a normal rate. Grafting experiments between the head region of nem-4 hydra and the body column of wild type hydra (and vice versa) showed that wild type stenotele nematocytes can move into nem-4 tentacles but that nem-4 stenotele nematocytes can not move into the wild type tentacles. These observations suggest that the stenotele nematocytes are produced normally by differentiation from the interstitial cells in the body column of nem-4 hydra, but that they are somehow prevented from migrating into the tentacles in this strain.