Centrocones are sub-cellular structures involved in the
cell division
Cell division is the process by which a parent cell (biology), cell divides into two daughter cells. Cell division usually occurs as part of a larger cell cycle in which the cell grows and replicates its chromosome(s) before dividing. In eukar ...
of
apicomplexan
The Apicomplexa (also called Apicomplexia; single: apicomplexan) are organisms of a large phylum of mainly parasitic alveolates. Most possess a unique form of organelle structure that comprises a type of non-photosynthetic plastid called an apico ...
parasites.
Centrocones are a nuclear sub-compartment in parasites of
Toxoplasma gondii
''Toxoplasma gondii'' () is a species of parasitic alveolate that causes toxoplasmosis. Found worldwide, ''T. gondii'' is capable of infecting virtually all warm-blooded animals, but members of the cat family (felidae) are the only known d ...
that work in apposition with the
centrosome
In cell biology, the centrosome (Latin centrum 'center' + Greek sōma 'body') (archaically cytocentre) is an organelle that serves as the main microtubule organizing center (MTOC) of the animal cell, as well as a regulator of cell-cycle progre ...
to coordinate the budding process in mitosis.
The centrocone concentrates and organizes various regulatory factors involved in the early stages of mitosis, including the ECR1 and TgCrk5 proteins. The membrane occupation and recognition nexus 1 (
MORN1) protein is also contained in this structure and is linked to human diseases, though not much is yet known about the connection between the centrocone and the MORN1 protein.
Centrocones are located in the nuclear envelope and contain spindles that are used in mitosis.
Chromosomes are contained within these spindles of the centrocone throughout the cell cycle.
References
Organelles
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