Molecular studies of linkage group XIX of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: evidence against a basal body location

Linkage group XIX (also known as the UNI linkage group) in the green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, exhibits a number of unusual properties that have lead to the suggestion that it represents a basal body-associated chromosome. To begin a molecular analysis of this linkage group, we have identified DNA sequences from it and used them to determine the copy number of linkage group XIX within the cell. We find that linkage group XIX is present in the same copy number per cell as nuclear linkage groups in both haploid and diploid strains. We also find that the copy number of linkage group XIX is unchanged in mutants lacking basal bodies. We conclude that there is no convincing evidence that linkage group XIX localizes to the basal bodies of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells.