https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2018.04.001 SUMMARY: Mimiviruses are giant viruses that co-evolved with eukaryotic hosts and virophages. Virophages are tiny viruses that hijack the viral factories giant viruses set up inside the host. Just as the eukaryotic host and virophages have evolved a sort of symbiotic relationship to defend against giant virus attacks, giant viruses have also evolved a… Continue reading Cas4-like Protein in Giant Viruses
Category: NSE 2: Taxonomy (MS)
Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.
The architecture of cell differentiation in choanoflagellates and sponge choanocytes
The architecture of cell differentiation in choanoflagellates and sponge choanocytes SUMMARY: The closest relative to multicellular animals are single-celled organisms called choanoflagellates. These protists look like collar cells. These are cells that have a microvillar ring (the collar) around a flagellum. An example of these cells in animals are sensory epidermal cells. To get a… Continue reading The architecture of cell differentiation in choanoflagellates and sponge choanocytes
The Endocannabinoid System of Animals
The Endocannabinoid System of Animals SUMMARY: This article talks about the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in animals. The first and second section talk about the three parts of the ECS: receptors (CBR1 and CBR2), ligands (endocannabinoids), and the ligand degrading enzymes. The receptors are G-protein coupled receptors, the ligands bind directly to these receptors, and the… Continue reading The Endocannabinoid System of Animals
Genetic diversity of Entamoeba in cockroaches
Genetic diversity of Entamoeba: Novel ribosomal lineages from cockroaches SUMMARY: Researchers in this study looked at the diversity of Entamoeba in 3 different species of cockroaches (the American roach, the Dubia roach, and the Madagascar hissing roach) by looking at SSU rDNA in the ground up intestines of the cockroaches. They found that the Entamoebas… Continue reading Genetic diversity of Entamoeba in cockroaches
Relationship between the flagellates and the ciliates
Relationship between the flagellates and the ciliates SUMMARY: This is an article comparing the structural and genomic differences between ciliates and flagellates. Dinoflagellates seem to be the ancestors of ciliates based on similarities in various cell structures and rRNA sequencing. Structures compared in this article include: mitochondria, mechanisms of cilia and flagella, nucleus, and how… Continue reading Relationship between the flagellates and the ciliates