Does a structural bridge exist between the DNA and the specialized cytoplasmic organelles during the early part of their development? A mechanism for the positioning of flagella and possibly other cytoplasmic organelles.
Cell differentiation involves the development of a new cytoplasm containing a set of specialized organelles such as cilia and flagella which are placed in the cell with a predetermined orientation. Arguments are put forward to show that the orientation of the flagellar apparatus could be brought about by a macromolecular structural bridge between the nucleoid and the assembling flagellar apparatus, the orientation being determined by the spatial geometry inherent in the folding of the DNA. An analysis of differentiation in unicelled eukaryotes suggests that the same basic mechanism of a structural bridge could also apply to the orientation of their cilia and flagella and perhaps may have a more general application in the positioning of cytoplasmic organelles.
Drummond
R
R
2/1Patty Street, Mentone, Victoria 3194, Australia. rdrmmnd@go.com
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002923:Cilia / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005407:Flagella / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008954:Models, Biological; D010247:Paramecium / Q000502:physiology
D004269:DNA, Bacterial