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{ Category Archives } websites

This website fom Tachezy gives some general information about the mitosome, as well as some images.
The mitochondrial origin of mitosome is supported by (i) presence of two membranes surrounding these organelles, (ii) localization of proteins of iron sulfur cluster assembly machinery within these organelles (IscU, IscS, ferredoxin), (iii) targeting of proteins into the mitosome by […]

2007 11 13 Albert de Roos literature Comments (0)

Endosymbiosis and the Origin of Eukaryotes: Are mitochondria really just bacterial symbionts? (Standish, 1998)

This powerpoint is made by Timothy G Standish and contains many interesting points of critique on the endosymbiotic theory. The link itself implies that this is for high school students, but I’ll recommend it to anyone interested in mitochondria. We should realize that things in biology only make sense in the light of evolution, and […]

2007 06 10 Albert de Roos literature Comments (0)

Mitochondrial plasmids (Kennell lab)

On the website of the Kennell lab, this page on mitochondrial plasmids. The senDNAs may be relevant to the origin of the mitochondrial DNA. I have to look further into it, for instance the possibility that the mechanisms surrounding senescence are the reverse that happened in evolution. 
In addition to mobile genetic elements associated with mtDNA, such as […]

2007 06 08 Albert de Roos literature Comments (0)

“Non-evolution” of the appearance of mitochondria and plastids in eukaryotes: challenges to endosymbiotic theory (Purdom AiG, 2006)

The following excerpts come from an article on the website of Answers in Genesis about the origin of mitochondria . Although they have a different goal (related to creationism), often their analyses of contemporary science are often quite insightful. I must admit that the endosymbiotic theory has more in common with creationism than with science.
As I […]

2007 05 23 Albert de Roos literature Comments (0)

The facts about Giardia (Darwinism-watch.com)

The following excerpts come from a page on Giardia from an anti-darwinism site and give some more background about the Giardia story. Some comments by Bill Martin as well, all based on his assumption that the endosymbiotic theory is true. Again, the finding of mitochondrial proteins in mitosomes is more evidence for a eukaryotic origin […]

2007 05 21 Albert de Roos literature Comments (0)

The gut bug bamboozler (HERO Gateway)

This is a background story about the dogma change regarding primitive eukaryotes that are claimed to be not so primitive after all (leading to the strange situation where there are no living precursors of the eukaryotic cell, a blatant contradiction of what is expected in gradualism). See also how strong Bill Martin’s words are regarding […]

2007 05 20 Albert de Roos literature Comments (0)

Giardia lamblia: cell biology and microscopy of one of the most primitive eukaryotes (Soltys lab)

This web site from Bohdan Soltys who worked in Gupta’s lab where he worked on Giardia shows how the finding of mitochondrial proteins in Giardia led to the conclusion that Giardia lost their mtiochondria. Also claims that hydrogenosomes were reduced mitochondria. All this is based on the endosymbiotic hypothesis, but is also in line with […]

2007 05 20 Albert de Roos literature Comments (0)

Long branch attraction (Wikipedia)

Long branch attraction (LBA) is a phenomenon in phylogenetic analyses (most commonly those employing maximum parsimony) when rapidly evolving lineages are inferred to be closely related, regardless of their true evolutionary relationships. The problem arises when the DNA of two (or more) lineages evolve rapidly. There are only four possible nucleotides and when DNA substitution […]

2007 05 18 Albert de Roos literature Comments (0)

Origin of mitochondria (Wikipedia)

These are excerpts from the Wiki mitochondria page. Non-mechanistic as usual: “somehow survived endocytosis and became incorporated into the cytoplasm”. Possible mechanistic scenarios would not show any fitness advantages. I think the evidence is rather weak, disguised in vague language. Also again the funny thing about the Tree of Life. Ribosomal RNA shows that they are […]

2007 05 18 Albert de Roos literature Comments (0)

Telomeric structures: evolution and roles in the maintenance of linear DNA genophores (Kovac lab)

A nice web page from the Kovac lab from Bratislava concerning telomerase and widespread existence of linear mitochondrial chromosomes.
At variance with the earlier belief that mitochondrial genomes are represented by circular DNA molecules, a large number of organisms have been found to carry linear mitochondrial DNA. The studies of linear mitochondrial genomes evoked several questions […]

2007 05 17 Albert de Roos literature Comments (0)