• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.251-258
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• 2011

Ciliates are considered one of the most diverse protozoa and play significant roles in ecology. For successful taxonomic study of these microscopic eukaryotes, a staining procedure is necessary, due mainly to intrinsic difficulties in recognizing characteristics from living cells. Although molecular taxonomy has been used to resolve the ambiguities associated with traditional morphology-based taxonomy, extraction of genomic DNA from stained ciliate cells is not available yet. In the present study, we describe a method to extract genomic DNA from a single protargol-impregnated euplotid cell. By using $HgCl_2$ as a fixative and modulating the exposure time of bleach solution in the protargol impregnation, high-quality genomic DNA can successfully be extracted from a stained single cell with minimal loss of morphological integrity. This technique will contribute to the effectiveness of combined approaches of molecular and morphological taxonomy from single ciliate cells.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.128-135
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• 2019

Two euplotid ciliates, Euplotes encysticus Yonezawa, 1985 and E. rariseta Curds et al., 1974, were isolated from a freshwater pond called Mulgol in Dokdo of the East Sea and from Masan Bay/Jeju Island, Korea, respectively. Both species are redescribed based on live observations and protargol impregnation. Cells of Euplotes encysticus are asymmetrically oval, $63-79{\times}41-61{\mu}m$ in vivo and capable of encystment. The cells have 31-36 adoral zone of membranelles(AZM), 9 fronto-ventral cirri (FVC), 5 transverse cirri (TC), 2-3 caudal cirri (CC), 2 marginal cirri (MC), 7 dorsal kineties (DK), and 19-22 dorsal cilia in middle DK. The cells of Euplotes rariseta has a small ovoid form and are $32-44{\times}23-35{\mu}m$ in vivo, 18-22 AZM, 10 FVC, 5 TC, 2 CC, 1 MC and 6 DK.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2010

Two marine euplotid ciliates, i.e. Euplotes cristatus Kahl, 1932 and E. minuta Yocom, 1930, were collected from the public waterfront of Incheon on the Yellow Sea and from the Songjeong Beach, Busan, in the Strait of Korea, respectively. These two species were verified as unrecorded species in Korea. These species were described based on live observation, protargol impregnation, and silver nitrate impregnation. In addition, the small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) sequences of the two species were compared with previously known sequences of the Euplotes species. Euplotes cristatus has an elongated oval form, size in vivo of $60-84{\times}38-68\;{\mu}m$, 35-50 adoral zone of membranelles (AZM), 10 frontoventral cirri (FVC), 5 transverse cirri (TC), 4-5 caudal cirri (CC), 8 dorsal kineties (DK), 10-16 dorsal cilia of middle DK, and silverline system of single-vannus type. Euplotes minuta has a small ovoid form ($44-53{\times}26-35\;{\mu}m$ in vivo), 31-41 AZM, 10 FVC, 5 TC, 4 CC, 9 DK, 10-12 dorsal cilia of middle DK, and silverline system of single-vannus type.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.227-235
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• 2003

The euplotid hypotrich collected from a puddle, Jeju-do in 2002 and cultured in the laboratory was identified as Euplotes muscorum Dragesco, 1970. The species is reported for the first time from Korea. The description was based on the observation of living specimens, protargol impregnation and biometrical analysis. This species is characterized by following diagnosis: 63-78 ${\mu}m$ in length, 40-52 ${\mu}m$ in width in vivo, 9 frontoventral cirri, 5 transverse cirri,4 caudal cirri, 1 micro- and macronucleus, adoral zone of membranelles with 32-36 adoral membranelles covering approximately 2/3 of body length, 8 dorsal kineties, mid-dorsal kinety with 20-24 cilia 3nd dargyrome complex type. This species with 9 frontoventral cirrotype is very similar to E. muscicola Kahl, 1932. The differences between these two species are: E. muscorum has 8 dorsal kineties and complex dargyrome type, while E. muscicola 9 dorsal kineties and multiple dargyrome type.