Transcriptome analysis of the binucleate ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila with asynchronous nuclear cell cycles

As a prototypic ciliated protozoan, Tetrahymena thermophila harbors two functionally and physically distinct nuclei within a shared cytoplasm. During the vegetative phase of the life cycle, the S phases of the diploid germline micronucleus and polyploid somatic macronucleus are temporally offset. Here we report the first RNA-Seq analysis across the cell cycle of a binucleated ciliated protozoan. We then performed gene expression profiling analysis using data obtained from RNA-seq of 4 different cells at two time points. RNA was isolated at 30 min intervals across 1.5 vegetative cell cycles, starting with a G1 population synchronized by centrifugal elutriation.