tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341686541622227200.post9003985093090314782..comments2024-02-08T12:10:38.282+00:00Comments on Life of a Lab Rat: Protists and their plastidsLab Rathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07962574174521597312noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341686541622227200.post-37609178862308352552009-10-19T10:49:07.397+01:002009-10-19T10:49:07.397+01:00Thanks so much for your reply! I'm only just b...Thanks so much for your reply! I'm only just begining to realise how crazy protists are in terms of genome organisation (mostly through your blog to be honest), and it's totally fascinating. We never really covered protists, only a couple of random plantscis/biochemists work on them here and they don't seem to lecture.<br /><br />I'm going to have to look up that competing endosymbiont though, that sounds amazing :DLab Rathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07962574174521597312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8341686541622227200.post-30881710155913774292009-10-19T01:13:05.187+01:002009-10-19T01:13:05.187+01:00Dino genomes, all three of them in photosynthetic ...Dino genomes, all three of them in photosynthetic species, are ON CRACK. The plastids have minicircles (not to be confused with trypanosome kDNA minicircles - now THAT genome is severely screwed up!). The nuclear genome attaches the 5' cap via trans-splicing of "splice leaders" to every single gene produced; and is also >10x the size of the human genome, in terms of base pairs. It also lacks a couple histones, and the chromatin organisation is distinctively WEIRD. <br /><br />The dino mitochondrial genomes are also *gasp* weird - linear chromosomes containing various permutations of recurring pieces of 2-3 genes and rDNA - the rDNA is scattered all over the place and has to be trans-spliced together; so are the 2-3 essential genes as well, if I recall. Furthermore, in some species there's also RNA editing!<br /><br />Afterward, the dinos went on to tertiary endosymbiosis, resulting in some organisms with a massive endosymbiont seemingly competing to take it over (Kryptoperidinium), or plastid-targeting genes from two organisms sitting mashed up in one nuclear genome... (Karenia, Karlodinium). <br /><br />Also, some of them (Warnowiid dinos) have...camera eyes. With image-forming lenses, retinas, and all the rest. They're unicellular. No brains, no neural tissue. Yeah. Weird.<br /><br />It is my solid faith that the intelligent designer took a few hits of LSD on the 7th day, and created the protists. True story.<br /><br />I am beginning to come across some weird shit in the prokaryotic kingdoms though! Sadly, all our microbiol classes are medically-inclined, so I have to learn about bacteria on my own time. This results in a slight problem that my introduction to bacterial diversity seems to come from Cavalier-Smith's papers... >_><br /><br />I'm enjoying your blog, btw! <br />Cheers,<br /><br />-Psi-Psi Wavefunctionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10829712736757471647noreply@blogger.com