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Eye-like ocelloids are built from different endosymbiotically acquired components.

Gregory S Gavelis1, Shiho Hayakawa2, Richard A White3

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Dinoflagellate eyes, or ocelloids, are complex structures built from existing mitochondria and plastids, challenging the link between multicellularity and advanced biological features. This study reveals how these single-celled organelles form intricate visual systems.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Multicellularity is typically associated with complex structures like animal eyes.
  • Dinoflagellates, single-celled eukaryotes, possess an 'ocelloid,' an eye-like organelle.
  • The origin and function of the ocelloid remain poorly understood due to challenges in studying these organisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the structural composition and evolutionary origin of the dinoflagellate ocelloid.
  • To investigate how subcellular organelles can form complex visual structures in single-celled organisms.

Main Methods:

  • Electron microscopy and tomography to visualize ocelloid ultrastructure.
  • Isolated-organelle genomics and single-cell genomics to analyze genetic components.
  • Comparative analysis of organelle origins and functions.

Main Results:

  • The ocelloid is a chimeric structure assembled from pre-existing organelles.
  • A cornea-like layer is formed by mitochondria.
  • A retinal body is composed of anastomosing plastids, originating from an ancient red algal endosymbiosis.

Conclusions:

  • The ocelloid demonstrates that complex anatomical structures can arise in single-celled organisms by assembling existing organelles.
  • Organelles like mitochondria and plastids can serve as building blocks for structural complexity beyond their metabolic roles.
  • This challenges the notion that multicellularity is a strict prerequisite for sophisticated biological features.