noun
- Plural of micronucleus; small nuclei found in certain single-celled organisms, especially ciliates, that function in sexual reproduction and genetic exchange.
Usage: biology; technical; plural form
Examples
- In ciliate protozoans, micronucleuses are responsible for meiosis and conjugation.
- The micronucleuses of Tetrahymena contain the genetic material used during sexual reproduction.
- Scientists observed the micronucleuses dividing during the conjugation process between two cells.
- Unlike the macronucleus, micronucleuses remain transcriptionally silent in most ciliates.