Centriole evolution.
Centrioles are cylindrical structures found at the core of the mitotic spindle pole, which also act as basal bodies to nucleate the formation of cilia. Centrioles have a complex, ninefold symmetric structure, and reproduce by an intriguing duplication process. The complexity and apparent self-reproduction of centrioles raises the question of how such a structure could have evolved, making them a favorite topic for theological speculation by 'intelligent design' creationists. In fact, centrioles are capable of robust self-assembly and can tolerate dramatic perturbations while still maintaining basic functionality. Far from being irreducibly complex, centrioles appear to be based on a rather minimal underlying core structure requiring only a handful of genes to construct.
Marshall
Wallace F
WF
Dept. of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA. wmarshall@biochem.ucsf.edu
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002502:Centrioles / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology