heterokaryotic
|het-er-o-ka-ry-ot-ic|
🇺🇸
/ˌhɛtəroʊˌkæriˈɑːtɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˌhɛtərəʊˌkæriˈɒtɪk/
with genetically different nuclei in the same cell/mycelium
Etymology
'heterokaryotic' originates from Greek, specifically the combining form 'hetero-' meaning 'different' and 'karyon' meaning 'nut, kernel, nucleus,' with the adjectival suffix '-otic.'
'hetero-' and 'karyon' were adopted via modern scientific Latin/English to form 'heterokaryon' (20th c. biology); from this, the adjective 'heterokaryotic' developed in modern scientific English.
Initially, it meant 'having different nuclei within a shared cytoplasm,' and this technical sense has remained stable in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having two or more genetically distinct nuclei within the same cell, hypha, or mycelium (common in many fungi).
After hyphal fusion, the mycelium becomes heterokaryotic until nuclear fusion occurs.
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Adjective 2
of an organism, tissue, or culture: composed of cells that carry different nuclear genotypes within the same cytoplasmic environment.
Heterokaryotic cultures can mask deleterious mutations through complementation.
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Adjective 3
relating to or exhibiting heterokaryosis (the condition of having genetically different nuclei in one cytoplasm).
Heterokaryotic compatibility tests were used to group the fungal isolates.
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Last updated: 2025/08/12 04:09