Credit: Dr Lori Peacock
Researchers at the University of Bristol have discovered how microbes responsible for human African sleeping sickness produce sex cells.
In these single-celled parasites, known as trypanosomes, each reproductive cell splits off in turn from the parental germline cell, which is responsible for passing on genes. Conventional germline cells divide twice to produce all four sex cells - or gametes - simultaneously. In humans four sperms are produced from a single germline cell. So, these strange parasite cells are doing their own thing rather than sticking to the biology rulebook.
Trypanosome cell biology has already revealed several curious features. They have two unique intracellular structures - the kinetoplast, a network of circular DNA and the glycosome, a membrane-enclosed organelle that contains the glycolytic enzymes. They don t follow the central dogma that DNA is faithfully transcribed into RNA, but will go back and edit some of the RNA transcripts af
Trypanosome cell during meiosis producing the first gamete Dr Lori Peacock Dr Lori Peacock
Cartoon showing large nucleus in blue and two smaller nuclei in pale blue and kinetoplasts in dark blue Dr Lori Peacock
Researchers at the University of Bristol have discovered how microbes responsible for human African sleeping sickness produce sex cells.
In these single-celled parasites, known as trypanosomes, each reproductive cell splits off in turn from the parental germline cell, which is responsible for passing on genes. Conventional germline cells divide twice to produce all four sex cells – or gametes – simultaneously. In humans four sperms are produced from a single germline cell. So, these strange parasite cells are doing their own thing rather than sticking to the biology rulebook.
This year’s Teagasc hill sheep conference takes place online over two nights. / Clive Wasson
The programme of events for this year’s Teagasc hill sheep conference has been announced and includes a wide range of topics including farm production and financial performance, breeding, health and feeding of ewes in late pregnancy.
The event will take place over two nights with both event’s proceedings taking place from 8pm to 9pm.
The first topic on Wednesday 17 February entails the experience of Donegal hill sheep farmer David McLaughlin, who has been a participant of the Teagasc BETTER Farm Hill Sheep Programme since 2008.