Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026
11:17
Stability and Structure of Bat Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I with Heterologous β2-Microglobulin
Published on: March 10, 2021
Microbial eukaryote globins
Serge N Vinogradov1, Xavier Bailly, David R Smith
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Advances in Microbial Physiology
|September 24, 2013
Summary
This study surveyed protist and fungal globins, finding diverse families but notable absences in some pathogens. Fungi uniquely host flavohaemoglobins alongside sensor single-domain globins, suggesting distinct evolutionary paths.
Area of Science:
- * Genomics and Bioinformatics
- * Evolutionary Biology
- * Molecular Biology
Background:
- * Globins are heme proteins involved in oxygen transport and sensing.
- * Previous studies have focused on bacterial and animal globin diversity.
- * The evolutionary history and distribution of globins in protists and fungi remain largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To conduct a comprehensive bioinformatics survey of globin diversity in protists and fungi.
- * To identify and characterize different globin subfamilies and their evolutionary relationships.
- * To investigate the presence and distribution of globins in pathogenic and non-pathogenic species.
Main Methods:
- * Bioinformatics analysis of approximately 120 protist and 240 fungal genomes and transcriptomes.
- * Identification and classification of globin sequences into known subfamilies.
- * Bayesian molecular analyses to infer evolutionary relationships.
Main Results:
- * A broad array of globins was identified, representing five of eight bacterial globin subfamilies.
- * Protoglobins and globin-coupled sensors were largely absent, except in Leishmania.
- * Flavohaemoglobins (FHbs) and single-domain globins (SSDgbs) are widespread in protists; fungi uniquely co-occur FHbs with SSDgbs.
- * Truncated Mb-fold globins (TrHb1s) are widespread, particularly in chlorophytes and ciliates.
- * Molecular analyses suggest close relationships between chlorophyte/haptophyte globins and plant/vertebrate globins.
Conclusions:
- * Protists and fungi exhibit a diverse globin repertoire with unique evolutionary patterns compared to bacteria.
- * The distribution of globins varies significantly across different protist lineages, with some pathogenic groups lacking them.
- * Fungi possess a unique combination of FHbs and SSDgbs, highlighting their specialized adaptations.
- * Further research with more complete genome data is needed for a definitive globin census in protists.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Globular Proteins
In organisms, proteins are the most abundant macromolecules. They act as the building blocks of life and play various crucial roles in the body. Proteins can be broadly classified into two distinct subtypes based on their shape and solubilities: globular proteins and fibrous proteins.
Globular proteins serve many important physiological functions, such as acting as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be soluble in the aqueous...
Globular proteins serve many important physiological functions, such as acting as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be soluble in the aqueous...
01:15Diversity 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...
01:08Evolution of Microbial Genome
Microbial genome evolution is a highly dynamic process shaped by continual gene gain and loss across species and strains. This genomic flexibility allows microorganisms to adapt rapidly to environmental pressures and interactions with other organisms. Central to understanding this diversity is the distinction between the core and pan genomes.The core genome comprises the genes shared by all sampled strains of a species, representing essential functions needed for fundamental cellular processes.
01:28Fungal 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...
02:21Globular and Fibrous Proteins
Many proteins can be classified into two distinct subtypes - globular or fibrous. These two types differ in their shapes and solubilities.
Globular proteins are also known as spheroproteins and typically are approximately round in shape. They contain a mix of amino acid types and contain differing sequences in their primary structures. Globular proteins have many different functions, such as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be...
Globular proteins are also known as spheroproteins and typically are approximately round in shape. They contain a mix of amino acid types and contain differing sequences in their primary structures. Globular proteins have many different functions, such as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be...
02:21Globular and Fibrous Proteins
Many proteins can be classified into two distinct subtypes - globular or fibrous. These two types differ in their shapes and solubilities.
Globular proteins are also known as spheroproteins and typically are approximately round in shape. They contain a mix of amino acid types and contain differing sequences in their primary structures. Globular proteins have many different functions, such as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be...
Globular proteins are also known as spheroproteins and typically are approximately round in shape. They contain a mix of amino acid types and contain differing sequences in their primary structures. Globular proteins have many different functions, such as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be...