Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Overview of Protists01:27

Overview of Protists

Protists are diverse eukaryotic microorganisms that lack the specialized tissues of plants and animals and the chitinous cell walls of fungi. Their early divergence within Eukarya resulted in structural, functional, and ecological diversity. They are classified into supergroups such as Archaeplastida, Excavata, Amoebozoa, Rhizaria, Alveolata, and Stramenopiles, determined through genetic analysis and structural similarities.Structural and Functional AdaptationsProtists have various adaptations...
Types of Microorganisms01:29

Types of Microorganisms

Microorganisms are a diverse group of microscopic entities broadly categorized into cellular and acellular types based on their structural organization. Cellular microorganisms include bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoa, and algae, while acellular microorganisms are represented by viruses.Cellular MicroorganismsBacteriaBacteria, tiny prokaryotic organisms, exhibit fascinating shapes such as rods, spheres, and spirals. They adapt to diverse habitats, including soil, water, and human-associated...
Diversity of Protists I01:15

Diversity of Protists I

Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
Diversity of Protists IV01:27

Diversity of Protists IV

Amoebozoa represent a diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic protists that utilize lobe-shaped pseudopodia for locomotion and feeding. This characteristic differentiates them from the Rhizaria, which possess threadlike pseudopodia. The primary classifications within Amoebozoa include gymnamoebas, entamoebas, and the plasmodial and cellular slime molds. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that Amoebozoa diverged from a lineage that ultimately gave rise to fungi and animals.Gymnamoebas and...
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
Diversity of Protists III01:27

Diversity of Protists III

Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Breathing the Job: Impaired Pulmonary Function in Hairdressers due to Occupational Chemical Exposure.

La Medicina del lavoro·2026
Same author

Warming and River Discharge Accelerate Coastal Heterotrophy and Increase Dissolved Organic Matter Recalcitrance.

Environmental science & technology·2026
Same author

Characterizing seasonal persistence of low levels of Pseudo-nitzschia australis in the Gulf of Maine with environmental DNA.

Harmful algae·2026
Same author

Seasonal patterns of DOM molecules are linked to microbial functions in the oligotrophic ocean.

mSystems·2025
Same author

Experimental and field comparisons of two common methods for measuring microzooplankton grazing rates.

Frontiers in microbiology·2025
Same author

Diel study reveals increased nighttime bacterial activity and its connection to organic compounds in the ocean.

Communications biology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Prospecting Microbial Strains for Bioremediation and Probiotics Development for Metaorganism Research and Preservation
09:49

Prospecting Microbial Strains for Bioremediation and Probiotics Development for Metaorganism Research and Preservation

Published on: October 31, 2019

Protists are microbes too: a perspective.

David A Caron1, Alexandra Z Worden, Peter D Countway

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0371, USA. dcaron@usc.edu

The ISME Journal
|November 14, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microbial ecology research has advanced significantly, yet eukaryotic protists are overlooked. This paper explores reasons for the neglect of these crucial microorganisms in current microbial studies.

More Related Videos

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview
29:13

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

Establishment of Microbial Eukaryotic Enrichment Cultures from a Chemically Stratified Antarctic Lake and Assessment of Carbon Fixation Potential
14:38

Establishment of Microbial Eukaryotic Enrichment Cultures from a Chemically Stratified Antarctic Lake and Assessment of Carbon Fixation Potential

Published on: April 20, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Prospecting Microbial Strains for Bioremediation and Probiotics Development for Metaorganism Research and Preservation
09:49

Prospecting Microbial Strains for Bioremediation and Probiotics Development for Metaorganism Research and Preservation

Published on: October 31, 2019

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview
29:13

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

Establishment of Microbial Eukaryotic Enrichment Cultures from a Chemically Stratified Antarctic Lake and Assessment of Carbon Fixation Potential
14:38

Establishment of Microbial Eukaryotic Enrichment Cultures from a Chemically Stratified Antarctic Lake and Assessment of Carbon Fixation Potential

Published on: April 20, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Microbial Ecology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Protistology

Background:

  • Advances in molecular biology have revolutionized our understanding of microbial communities.
  • Research predominantly focuses on bacteria, archaea, and viruses due to ease of genetic analysis.
  • Eukaryotic microbes, specifically protists, have received comparatively little attention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the underrepresentation of protists in current microbial research.
  • To explore potential explanations for the neglect of protists in the 'era of the microbe'.
  • To re-evaluate the ecological significance of protists.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of current research trends in microbial ecology.
  • Comparative analysis of research focus on different microbial domains (bacteria, archaea, viruses, eukaryotes).
  • Exploration of historical and methodological factors influencing research priorities.

Main Results:

  • A significant disparity exists in research attention between prokaryotic/viral microbes and eukaryotic protists.
  • Several factors, including historical biases and technical challenges, contribute to the neglect of protists.
  • The ecological importance of protists is likely underestimated due to limited study.

Conclusions:

  • Protists remain a vastly understudied group despite their ecological significance.
  • Further research is needed to understand the roles of protists in various ecosystems.
  • Addressing the neglect of protists is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of microbial ecology.