A membrane-bounded organelle of ciliated protozoan cells that contains a diploid copy of the cell's complete genome. Sections of contiguous sequence in the macronucleus are often interrupted by internal eliminated sequences (IES), and may be permuted, in micronuclei. Genic transcription is not found in micronuclei. Some ciliate species may contain multiple micronuclei per cell.
micronucleus