On the evolutionary origins of apicoplasts: revisiting the rhodophyte vs. chlorophyte controversy.
Apicomplexans are parasites of great medical and veterinary importance. They contain a vestigial plastid, the apicoplast, that originated through the secondary endosymbiosis of the photosynthetic unicellular alga. The nature of this alga remains controversial. Here, we revisit the available evidence and critically summarize the "green vs. red" debate.
Funes
Soledad
S
Institut fur Physiologische Chemie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
Reyes-Prieto
Adrián
A
Pérez-Martínez
Xochtil
X
González-Halphen
Diego
D
D000818:Animals; D016782:Apicomplexa / Q000235:genetics*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D018087:Plastids / Q000235:genetics*; D000461:Rhodophyta / Q000235:genetics; D013559:Symbiosis