This family consists of several RIB43A-like eukaryotic proteins. Ciliary and flagellar microtubules contain a specialized set of protofilaments, termed ribbons, that are composed of tubulin and several associated proteins. RIB43A was first characterized in the unicellular biflagellate, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii although highly related sequences are present in several higher eukaryotes including humans. The function of this protein is unknown although the structure of RIB43A and its association with the specialized protofilament ribbons and with basal bodies is relevant to the proposed role of ribbons in forming and stabilizing doublet and triplet microtubules and in organising their three-dimensional structure. Human RIB43A homologs could represent a structural requirement in centriole replication in dividing cells.