ABSTRACT
Dinoflagellates are a very large and diverse group of eukaryotic algae that play a major role in aquatic food webs of both fresh water and marine habitats. Moreover, the toxic members of this group pose a health threat in the form of red tides. Finally, dinoflagellates are of great evolutionary importance, because of their taxonomic position, and their unusual chromosome structure and composition. While the cytoplasm of dinoflagellates is typically eukaryotic, the nucleus is unique when compared to the nucleus of other eukaryotes. More specifically, while the chromosomes of all other eukaryotes contain histones, dinoflagellate chromosomes lack histones completely. There are no known exceptions to this observation: all dinoflagellates lack histones, and all other eukaryotes contain histones. Nevertheless, dinoflagellates remain a relatively unstudied group of eukaryotes.
Similar content being viewed by others
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
References
Spector DL, Dinoflagellate nuclei. In: Spector DL Ed. Dinoflagellates. Academic Press: New York 1984:107â47.
Rizzo PJ, Biochemistry of the dinoflagellate nucleus. In: Taylor FJR. Ed. The biology of dinoflagellates. Blackwell Scientific: Oxford 1987:143â73.
Rizzo PJ . The enigma of the dinoflagellate chromosome. J Protozool 1991; 38(3):246â52.
Wargo MJ, Rizzo PJ . Exception to eukaryotic rules. Science 2001; 294:2477.
Holm-Hansen O . Algae: Amounts of DNA and organic carbon in single cells. Science 1969; 163:87â8.
Wargo MJ, Rizzo PJ . Characterization of Gymnodinium mikimotoi (Dinophyceae) nuclei and identification of the major histone-like protein, HGm. J Phycol 2000; 36:584â9.
Chudnovsky Y, Li JF, Rizzo PJ, Hastings JW, Fagan TF . Cloning, expression, and charactertization of a histone-like protein from the marine dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum (Dinophyceae). J Phycol 2002; 38:1â9.
Sala-Rovira M, Geraud ML, Caput D, Jacques F, Soyer-Gobillard M-O, Vernet G, Herzog M . Molecular cloning and immunolocalization of two variants of the major basic nuclear protein (HCc) from the histone-less eukaryote Crypthecodinium cohnii (Pyrrhophyta). Chromosoma 1991; 100:510â8.
Taroncher-Oldenburg G, Anderson DM . Identification and characterization of three differentially expressed genes encoding S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase, methionine aminopeptidase and a histone-like protein in the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense. Appl Environ Microbiol 2000; 66:2105â12.
Dodge JD . A dinoflagellate with both a mesokaryotic and eukaryotic nucleus. Protoplasma 1971; 73:145â57.
Tomas R, Cox ER, Steidinger KA . Peridinium balticum (Levander) Lemmermann, and unusual dinoflagellate with a mesokaryotic and an eukaryotic nucleus. J Phycol 1973; 9:91â8.
Farmer MA, Roberts KR . Organelle loss in the endosymbiont of Gymnodinium acidotum (Dinophyceae). Protoplasma 1990; 153:178â85.
Morris RL, Fuller CB, Rizzo PJ . Nuclear basic proteins from the binucleate dinoflagellate Peridinium foliaceum (Pyrrophyta). J Phycol 1993; 29:342â7.
Kempton JW, Wolney J, Tengs T, Rizzo P, Morris R, Tunnell J, Scott P, Steidinger K, Hymel SN, Lewitus AJ . Kryptoperidinium foliaceum blooms in South Carolina: a multi-analytical approach to identification. Harmful Algae 2002; 1:383â92.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
RIZZO, P. Those amazing dinoflagellate chromosomes. Cell Res 13, 215â217 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cr.7290166
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cr.7290166
