Evolution and biogenesis of microtubule-derived structures

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do grau de Doutor em Biologia Celular pelo Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica da Universidade Nova de Lisboa

The centriole/basal body (CBB) is a Eukaryotic structure involved in a duality of functions, it can act as a microtubule organizing centre or it can nucleate the axoneme of cilia and flagella. The CBB is a widely conserved microtubule based ninefold symmetrical structure involved in processes such as microtubule-based motility, cell division and polarity. Despite the advances made in recent years, the molecular pathways that regulate CBB formation and the processes by which the structure evolve are largely unknown.(...)