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Related Experiment Videos

Microtubules in prokaryotes.

L Margulis, L To, D Chase

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |June 9, 1978
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Microtubules containing tubulin were found in symbiotic spirochetes from termites, supporting the hypothesis that cilia and flagella may have originated from these microorganisms.

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    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Cell Biology
    • Symbiotic Relationships

    Background:

    • Microtubules are essential components of eukaryotic cells, involved in structure and motility.
    • Spirochetes are a group of bacteria, some of which live symbiotically within termites.
    • The evolutionary origins of cellular structures like cilia and flagella are of significant scientific interest.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the presence and composition of microtubules in specific spirochete species found in termite hindguts.
    • To determine if these microtubules are homologous to eukaryotic tubulin.
    • To provide evidence supporting the hypothesis of the symbiotic origin of cilia and flagella.

    Main Methods:

    • Electron microscopy was used to visualize microtubules within spirochete protoplasmic cylinders.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Immunofluorescence staining with antibodies against tubulin was performed.
  • Co-migration assays with authentic tubulin on acrylamide gels were conducted.

    • Main Results:

    • Longitudinally aligned microtubules (approximately 220 Å in diameter) were identified in Pillotina sp., Diplocalyx sp., and Hollandina sp. spirochetes.
    • These microtubules reacted positively with anti-tubulin antibodies and comigrated with authentic tubulin.
    • Treponema reiteri, used as a control, lacked detectable tubulin by these methods.

    Conclusions:

    • The presence of tubulin-like proteins in these symbiotic spirochetes suggests a potential evolutionary link.
    • These findings support the hypothesis that eukaryotic cilia and flagella may have evolved from ancestral spirochetes.
    • This research sheds light on the complex symbiotic interactions within termites and the evolution of cellular motility.