ENTAMOEBA-HISTOLYTICA AS A MODEL FOR THE PRIMITIVE EUKARYOTIC CELL

Entamoeba histolytica is a structurally simple eukaryote locking mitochondria, peroxisomes and a well-developed Golgi apparatus; also in its biochemistry, it deviates substantially from the more complex eukaryotes. These features hove alternatively been interpreted as archaic, ie. the ancestor of Entamoeba branched off before the primitive eukaryotic cell obtained proto-mitochondria, or as regressive, ie, Entamoeba has lost its mitochondria in the course of its adaptation to a parasitic life style. Tilly Bakker-Grunwald and Cloudia Wostmann favor the first interpretation and discuss in which respects E. histolytica may serve as a model for the primitive eukaryote.