Evolutionary conservation of centriole rotational asymmetry in the human centrosome.

Centrioles are formed by microtubule triplets in a ninefold symmetric arrangement. In flagellated protists and animal multiciliated cells, accessory structures tethered to specific triplets render the centrioles rotationally asymmetric, a property that is key to cytoskeletal and cellular organization in these contexts. In contrast, centrioles within the centrosome of animal cells display no conspicuous rotational asymmetry.