Basal body/centriole assembly and continuity

The long-standing interest in centrioles and basal bodies stems from the evolutionary conservation of their structural design and from their dual mode of assembly (templated versus de novo), revealed by electron microscopic studies nearly four decades ago and unique for a subcellular organelle. Molecular dissection of the assembly pathway during the past few years has recently progressed, essentially through direct and reverse genetic approaches. These studies revealed essential roles for centrins and the gamma-, delta-, epsilon- and eta-tubulins in assembly or as specific signals for centriole duplication. Identification of further components of basal bodies and centrioles might help to unravel the two assembly pathways and their regulation.