Centrioles and the basal bodies that organize cilia and flagella represent two versions of the same organelle. Based around a radially symmetric array of nine microtubule triplets, their structure has been picked apart by numerous groups for some forty years. Using transmission electron microscopy to analyse serial sections of isolated basal bodies from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Stefan Geimer and Michael Melkonian have now generated a high-resolution map of the organelle (see p. 2663). Surprisingly, they have identified a novel feature – the `acorn' – that had previously gone unnoticed. This filamentous structure is attached to the inner wall of the microtubule shaft at its distal end and is present in both the mature basal body and the nascent probasal body. It imposes inherent rotational asymmetry on the basal body. This is particularly important because the acorn might thus provide the basis for asymmetric attachment of additional structures during basal body maturation. As such it might ultimately define the direction of flagellar beating and underpin cellular asymmetry in general.
From small acorns do asymmetric flagella grow
From small acorns do asymmetric flagella grow. J Cell Sci 1 June 2004; 117 (13): e1302. doi:
Download citation file:
Advertisement
Cited by
Introducing our new Editors
We welcome three new Editors to Journal of Cell Science - Robert Parton, Richa Rikhy and Simon Cook. You can read more about them in the Editorial from our Editor-in-Chief Michael Way.
2024 Journal Meeting 'Diversity and Evolution in Cell Biology'
Registration is open for our 2024 Journal Meeting Diversity and Evolution in Cell Biology, which aims to bring together evolutionary biologists and cell biologists investigating diverse aspects of cellular physiology. Final registration deadline: 3 May 2024.
Workshop: Physics of the Early Embryonic Cell Divisions
Early-career researchers interested in the roles of nuclear lipids, apply now for one of the ten funded places at this Workshop, which will take place 11-14 November 2024. Application deadline: 17 May.
Reasons to submit to Journal of Cell Science
There are many benefits to publishing in Journal of Cell Science - read more about why you should choose JCS or visit our submission page now.
Propose a new Workshop for 2026
We are now accepting proposals for our 2026 Workshops programme. We aim to be responsive to the community and open to novel initiatives, so if you have a new idea for a biological workshop that you feel would work well, please apply. Applications deadline: 19 July 2024.