Cortical memory in Paramecium: a theoretical approach to the structural heredity.
Structural heredity is frequently encountered in ciliates. In particular, during division of Paramecium the cortical characteristics of the 2 daughter cells are inherited from those of the mother cell. Genesis of new structures is therefore only possible if there are pre-existing older structures. We attempted to simulate this phenomenon with a model already used to describe the structure and morphogenesis of the cortex of Paramecium. We show that to initiate spatial organization it is enough to choose special starting conditions which comprise the primer of the structure, even if highly localized and at a low concentration of morphogens. This property does not question the basic concepts of genomic heredity.
Hyver
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Section de biophysique des protéines et des membranes, DBCM, CEA, Centre d'études nucléaires de Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
Le Guyader
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D000818:Animals; D008433:Mathematics; D008568:Memory; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010247:Paramecium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure