Analysis of Karyotype and Ploidy of Dictyostelium discoideum Using Colchicine-induced Metaphase Arrest

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Abstract
Conditions of obtaining colchicine-induced metaphase arrest of the chromosomes of the cellular slime mold D. discoideum are described. Using this technique, which increases the mitotic index of exponentially growing amoebae from 1.5-11%, it was demonstrated conclusively that D. discoideum has a haploid chromosome number of 7 and that strain AX2 (ATCC24397) is not highly aneuploid as was recently suggested. Each of the 7 chromosomes can be identified by a characteristic banding pattern seen after staining with Giemsa.