Nuclei of the Genus Emericellopsis

SUMMARY

Nuclei of twelve Emericellopsis entities were successfully demonstrated by staining with HCl-Giemsa following treatment in 0.002 M 8-hydroxyquinoline and fixation in Carnoy's with chloroform. The hyphal cells of all known species of Emericellopsis were demonstrated to be uninucleate, with the exception of Emericellopsis synnematicola where binucleate cells were also observed. Conidia and ascospores were found to be uninucleate, thus confirming primary homothallism, as often suggested by the culturing of single spores. In some species, a high frequency of anastomosis and migrating nuclei reflected a means of establishing heterokaryons. It was observed that interphase nuclei, typically elliptical, were extremely elongate near hyphal tips. The presence of chromatin bodies (2-4 per haploid nucleus) and division figures suggested a mitotic mode of division in the somatic hyphae of Emericellopsis.