2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Study on evolution of trichocyst in cryptomonads
Project/Area Number |
25840128
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
Research Field |
Evolutionary biology
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Research Institution | National Institute for Environmental Studies (2015) Kobe University (2013-2014) |
Principal Investigator |
Yamagishi Takahiro 国立研究開発法人国立環境研究所, 環境リスク研究センター, 特別研究員 (30379333)
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Project Period (FY) |
2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
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Keywords | Algae / Molecular Evolution |
Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Trichocysts are ejectile organelles found in cryptomonads, dinoflagellates and peniculine ciliates. The fine structure of trichocysts differs considerably among lineages, and their evolutionary relationships are unclear.We concluded that cryptomonad trichocysts have an evolutionary origin independent from the peniculine ciliate trichocysts based on the biochemical makeup of the trichocyst constituents. Pyramimonas parkeae (Prasinophyceae) has an ejective organelle containing a coiled ribbon structure resembling the ejectisome in Cryptophyta. This structure is discharged from the cell by a stimulus and extends to form a tube-like structure, but the molecular components of the structure have not been identified. We concluded that the ribbon-like structure of P. parkeae constitutes a complex of core histones (H3, H2A, H2B and H4) and acidic polysaccharide. This is the first report to indicate that core histones form a complex associated with a non-DNA acidic polymer.
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Free Research Field |
Cell Biology
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