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Endosymbiosis Explains Algal Origins
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Abstract
Algae include all photosynthetic eukaryotes excluding land plants. The algae are of a polyphyletic origin and have gained their photosynthetic organelles (plastids) through endosymbiosis. In this seminar I present evidence that supports the idea that a single primary endosymbiosis involving a cyanobacterium gave rise to a "proto-alga" that was the common ancestor of the three primary algal lineages (Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta, Glaucocystophyta). Members of the Chlorophyta and Rhodophyta then gave rise to all other algal plastids through secondary endosymbioses. All secondary plastids appear to arise from independent symbiotic events. These data demonstrate that understanding endosymbiosis is critical to explaining the diversity of photosynthetic forms on our planet.
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