TY - JOUR
T1 - The first eukaryotic cells - Acid hot-spring algae - Evolutionary paths from prokaryotes to unicellular red algae via Cyanidium caldarium (PreRhodophyta) succession
AU - Seckbach, Joseph
PY - 1995/3
Y1 - 1995/3
N2 - The Cyanidiophyceae members (PreRhodophyta) may serve as a transitional algal group bridging the cyanobacteria and the unicellular Rhodophyta. This thermoacidic algal group is composed of three genera containing several species. We suggested placing these algae in progressively evolutionary steps: (Cyanidioschyzon → Cyanidium → Galdieria). This evolutional ladder is based upon various areas of research like biochemistry, amount of nuclear genome and shape of chloroplast nucleoid, ultrastructure and ecological aspects. The first alga -Cyanidioschyzon - is the cornerstone of this succession; it shows mixed features between cyanobacterium and archaebacteria (Thermoplasma-like cell). It demonstrates simple eukaryotic cellular features and has the smallest amount of nuclear and chloroplast DNA. The intermediate alga in this line, Cyanidium, is also a simple cell, but shows more progressive characterizations than the Cyanidioschyzon. The third taxon, Galdieria, is already very close to the unicellular rhodophytes (red algae) and indicates typical advanced eukaryotic characterization. We propose that Cyanidioschyzon (considered to be the simplest eukaryote) may have evolved from an association between Thermoplasma-like archaebacterium and a thermophilic cyanobacterium. Autogenous (non-symbiotic) compartmental steps may have taken place from Cyanidioschyzon to Cyanidium and then to Galdieria, and from this alga (group) towards the other unicellular red algae.
AB - The Cyanidiophyceae members (PreRhodophyta) may serve as a transitional algal group bridging the cyanobacteria and the unicellular Rhodophyta. This thermoacidic algal group is composed of three genera containing several species. We suggested placing these algae in progressively evolutionary steps: (Cyanidioschyzon → Cyanidium → Galdieria). This evolutional ladder is based upon various areas of research like biochemistry, amount of nuclear genome and shape of chloroplast nucleoid, ultrastructure and ecological aspects. The first alga -Cyanidioschyzon - is the cornerstone of this succession; it shows mixed features between cyanobacterium and archaebacteria (Thermoplasma-like cell). It demonstrates simple eukaryotic cellular features and has the smallest amount of nuclear and chloroplast DNA. The intermediate alga in this line, Cyanidium, is also a simple cell, but shows more progressive characterizations than the Cyanidioschyzon. The third taxon, Galdieria, is already very close to the unicellular rhodophytes (red algae) and indicates typical advanced eukaryotic characterization. We propose that Cyanidioschyzon (considered to be the simplest eukaryote) may have evolved from an association between Thermoplasma-like archaebacterium and a thermophilic cyanobacterium. Autogenous (non-symbiotic) compartmental steps may have taken place from Cyanidioschyzon to Cyanidium and then to Galdieria, and from this alga (group) towards the other unicellular red algae.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0012537783&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/BF00700452
DO - 10.1007/BF00700452
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AN - SCOPUS:0012537783
SN - 0092-0606
VL - 20
SP - 335
EP - 345
JO - Journal of Biological Physics
JF - Journal of Biological Physics
IS - 1-4
ER -