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Nanofilament dependent motility in dinoflagellates
Author(s) -
Cachon Jean,
Cachon Monique,
Greuet Claude,
Huitorel Philippe
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
biology of the cell
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.543
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1768-322X
pISSN - 0248-4900
DOI - 10.1016/0248-4900(94)90048-5
Subject(s) - biology , motility , centriole , microbiology and biotechnology , flagellum , biophysics , basal body , microtubule , basal (medicine) , function (biology) , ultrastructure , anatomy , biochemistry , endocrinology , insulin , gene
Summary— In dinoflagellates, as in many eukaryotes, several kinds of nanofilaments have been described: some are organized in bundles showing a strict periodicity, some are not; most are contractile upon a rise in Ca 2+ concentration, some are not. In any case, their contractile properties appear to be ATP independent. They are present in all cell types studied so far, and are typically found in association with the centrioles‐basal bodies where they are suggested to play a role in MTOC structure, position and function. Nanofilaments are all about 2–4 nm in diameter, interact with microtubules, and are insoluble filaments, though to a variable extent. We propose that the nanofilaments may play a structural and/or active role complementary to intermediate filaments.