Evidence of intraflagellar transport and apical complex formation in a free-living relative of the apicomplexa.

ABSTRACT: Since its first description, Chromera velia has attracted keen interest as the closest free-living relative of parasitic Apicomplexa. The life cycle of this unicellular alga is complex and involves a motile biflagellate form. Flagella are thought to be formed in the cytoplasm, a rare phenomenon shared with Plasmodium in which the canonical mode of flagellar assembly, intraflagellar transport, is dispensed with. Here we demonstrate the expression of intraflagellar transport components in C. velia, answering the question of whether this organism has the potential to assemble flagella via the canonical route. We have developed and characterized a culturing protocol that favors the generation of flagellate forms. From this, we have determined a marked shift in the mode of daughter cell product

SUBMITTER: Portman N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3910950 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature