1. Plural of micronucleus; small nuclei found in certain single-celled organisms, especially ciliates, that function in sexual reproduction and genetic exchange.
Usage: biology; technical; plural form

Examples

• In ciliate protozoans, micronucleuses are responsible for meiosis and conjugation.
• The micronucleuses of Tetrahymena contain the genetic material used during sexual reproduction.
• Scientists observed the micronucleuses dividing during the conjugation process between two cells.
• Unlike the macronucleus, micronucleuses remain transcriptionally silent in most ciliates.