https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2017.00527 SUMMARY: In 2003, scientists discovered that giant viruses infected amoebas. These giant viruses are so big that they were mistaken for bacteria for the longest time. It wasn’t until scientists realized they contained no ribosomal DNA that these organisms were reclassified as viruses. From there, even more giant viruses were discovered. Some of the… Continue reading Amoebae, Giant Viruses, and Virophages
Tag: evolution
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
Genetic Diversity in Laboratory Rodent Colonies
Inbred or Outbred? Genetic Diversity in Laboratory Rodent Colonies SUMMARY: This study looked at genetic diversity in lab gerbils. Due to the fact that labs are small, animal groups tend to become less diverse overtime; however, the overall diversity of the gerbils can be determined if you outbreed them. The significance of inbred or outbred… Continue reading Genetic Diversity in Laboratory Rodent Colonies
Insights into transgenerational epigenetics from studies of ciliates
Insights into transgenerational epigenetics from studies of ciliates SUMMARY: This article summarizes what we know about ciliate epigenetics so far. The first section is an introduction to their weird nucleus situation: ciliates have two types of nuclei, the macronucleus and the micronucleus. Several examples of ciliate epigenetics are given in sections 2 and 3. Some… Continue reading Insights into transgenerational epigenetics from studies of ciliates
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Powered by Light: phototrophy and photosynthesis in prokaryotes and its evolution SUMMARY: This article looks at the still-not-yet-fully-known evolution and history of photosynthesis. There were various types of photosynthesis, the main difference being the type of electron donor. Some organisms used water as an electron donor, while others used things like hydrogen and manganese. The… Continue reading Powered by Light
De novo origins of multicellularity in response to predation
De novo origins of multicellularity in response to predation SUMMARY: Chlamydomonas are common, single-celled green algae that are flagellated and can move around. They’re a strange cross between plants and protists. In this study, scientists subjected chlamydomonas to predation by paramecia (common freshwater ciliates) and observed that after about 750 generations, the chlamydomonas took on… Continue reading De novo origins of multicellularity in response to predation