The Cell Cycle and Induced Amitosis in <i>Acanthamoeba</i>*

Abstract

SYNOPSIS The small soil ameba, Acanthamoeba castellanii strain HR, with a mean generation time of 18 hr in axenic culture, requires 24 min for nuclear mitosis. This is followed immediately by nuclear DNA synthesis that is initiated in late telophase and lasts for 20 min. Evidence is presented that amitosis can be induced in susceptible amebas only during a portion of the cell cycle.