Effect of Paramecium biaurelia cytoplasm transplantation on the duration of the interautogamous interval (IAI) in Paramecium tetraurelia.

The cytoplasm of Paramecium biaurelia in various stages of IAI was transplanted to Paramecium tetraurelia cells of the same clonal age. Such donor cytoplasm was effective in retardation of the expression of autogamy in the recipient clones. The results suggest that the cytoplasm of Paramecium biaurelia may contain the autogamous immaturity factor whose level changes during the run of IAI and whose specificity is the same as in Paramecium tetraurelia.