Mitosis and nuclear degeneration: simultaneous events during secondary sporangia formation in Phytophthora palmivora

Abstract

Somatic nuclear division is described for sporangia of Phytophthora palmivora. The division is intranuclear and involves centrioles and an eccentrically located spindle. The nucleolus persists throughout division. While these events take place, other nuclei within the same sporangium become surrounded by membranous material and degenerate by an autophagous process. The possible significance of these events for this stage of the life cycle is discussed.