JMDMT #163 Microfossils of Cyanobacteria in Carbonaceous Meteorites

The James M. DuPont Meteorite Collection -extranu- clear particles responsible for cytoplasmic inheritance in yeast," and particle- Uke inclusions found in many insect tissues"- - may be further examples. A well documented case of an endosymbiote has been found for the flagellated protozoan, Strigomonas} This organism, apparently, exists in association with cytoplasmic bipolar-like bodies. The presence of these particles, as with Paramecium, alters the nutritional requirements of the host. A distinctive feature of the A system is the ability of particle bearing animals to release a toxin which causes the death of certain particle free detector strains, but is without effect upon the X bearers themselves. In this respect the X system bears a striking resemblance to colicin producing systems." Colicins are antibiotic substances