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Related Concept Videos

Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
Synteny and Evolution02:31

Synteny and Evolution

John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral chromosome underwent...
Viral Recombination00:57

Viral Recombination

Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
Gene Duplication and Divergence02:37

Gene Duplication and Divergence

The seminal work of Ohno in 1970 popularized the idea of gene duplication and divergence. DNA sequence comparison studies reveal that a large portion of the genes in bacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes was  generated by gene duplication and divergence, indicating its critical role in evolution.
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are characterized.
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The present-day mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes have retained some of the characteristics of their ancestral prokaryotes and also have acquired new attributes during their evolution within eukaryotic cells. Like prokaryotic genomes, mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes neither bind with histone-like proteins nor show complex packaging into chromosome-like structures, as observed in eukaryotes. Unlike mitotic cell divisions observed in eukaryotic cells, mitochondria and chloroplasts...
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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...

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High-throughput Physical Mapping of Chromosomes using Automated in situ Hybridization
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Published on: June 28, 2012

Jumbled genomes: missing Apicomplexan synteny.

Jeremy D DeBarry1, Jessica C Kissinger

  • 1Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, USA. jdebarry@uga.edu

Molecular Biology and Evolution
|April 21, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Genome evolution in Apicomplexa parasites shows extensive rearrangement and rare synteny, differing from other eukaryotes. This suggests unique genome evolution criteria in these disease-causing organisms.

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Parasitology

Background:

  • Whole-genome comparisons reveal gene repertoires, gains/losses, and organization, crucial for understanding eukaryotic genome evolution.
  • Apicomplexa are obligate intracellular parasites causing significant human and animal diseases, including malaria and toxoplasmosis.
  • Current knowledge of eukaryotic genome evolution primarily stems from studies on multicellular model organisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate genome synteny across 12 apicomplexan species from six genera using an in silico pipeline.
  • To identify conserved gene content and order (synteny) and assess genome rearrangement patterns within the Apicomplexa phylum.
  • To compare genome evolution mechanisms in Apicomplexa with those in other eukaryotes.

Main Methods:

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Last Updated: Jun 2, 2026

High-throughput Physical Mapping of Chromosomes using Automated in situ Hybridization
08:48

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Published on: June 28, 2012

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  • Development of an in silico pipeline focused on protein-encoding genes for comparative genomics.
  • Analysis of genome synteny across 12 diverse apicomplexan species.
  • Examination of gene order and proximity within and between species.

Main Results:

  • Extensive genome rearrangement observed between apicomplexan lineages.
  • Syntenic regions are rare across the phylum, with no conserved groups of three genes found.
  • Limited conserved synteny exists between Plasmodium and Theileria/Babesia, containing organelle-targeted proteins.

Conclusions:

  • Apicomplexa exhibit a surprising lack of genome synteny, contrasting with other eukaryotes.
  • The absence of transposable elements in Apicomplexa may contribute to unique genome evolution mechanisms.
  • Genome evolution in Apicomplexa appears to follow distinct principles compared to well-studied eukaryotes.