Re: Classification: A Definition

[Colin McHenry <cmchenry@westserv.net.au>]

David Marjanovic wrote:
> Incidentally, I don't think the cytoskeleton comes from spirochaetes. 
> All bacteria and archaea have a homolog of the tubulins (FtsZ) which 
> performs a pretty similar function in the same way. That's taught 
> these days in the cell biology lecture third-semester students of 
> molecular biology are expected to take. (It was, of course, discovered 
> long after Margulis came up with her idea... does she even still hold 
> it?)

Apparently.  Check out:

Margulis, L., M. Chapman, R. Guerrero, and J. Hall. 2006. The last 
eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA): Acquisition of cytoskeletal motility 
from aerotolerant spirochetes in the Proterozoic Eon. Proceedings of the 
National Academy of Sciences (USA) 103(35):13080-13085.

It seems unlikely that we've heard the last on this topic.

Cheers

Col


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Colin McHenry
School of Environmental and Life Sciences (Geology)
University of Newcastle
Callaghan NSW 2308
Australia
Tel: +61 2 4921 5404
Fax: + 61 2 4921 6925

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