Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 19, 2026
09:03
Forward Genetic Approaches in Chlamydia trachomatis
Published on: October 23, 2013
13.3K
Bulky Trichomonad Genomes: Encoding a Swiss Army Knife
Joel Barratt1, Rory Gough1, Damien Stark2
1I3 Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW, Australia; School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW, Australia.
Trends in Parasitology
|June 18, 2016
Summary
Trichomonads possess large genomes due to gene duplications, providing versatile tools for their parasitic lifestyle. These genetic expansions likely contribute to their remarkable evolutionary success and adaptability.
Area of Science:
- * Parasitology
- * Molecular Biology
- * Evolutionary Genetics
Background:
- * Trichomonads are ancient, successful parasitic protozoa.
- * Molecular analyses reveal extensive genetic locus duplication in trichomonads.
- * This results in exceptionally large genomes compared to other parasitic protozoa.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To investigate the functional significance of large gene expansions in trichomonads.
- * To understand if gene duplications provide an evolutionary advantage.
- * To explore the link between genome size, gene duplication, and parasitic success.
Main Methods:
- * Analysis of molecular data to identify genetic locus duplications.
- * Comparative genomics to assess genome size variations.
- * Functional annotation of duplicated genes and their paralogues.
Main Results:
- * Confirmed extensive duplication of specific genetic loci across trichomonad families.
- * Identified numerous duplicated genes associated with the parasitic lifestyle.
- * Observed differential regulation of duplicated genes compared to their paralogues, suggesting neofunctionalization.
Conclusions:
- * Large genomes in trichomonads, driven by gene duplication, likely confer a functional advantage.
- * These genetic expansions provide a 'Swiss army knife' of molecular tools.
- * The versatility afforded by large genomes is a key factor in the evolutionary success of trichomonads.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Diversity of Protists I
2.0K
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...
2.0K
01:29Bacterial Phylum Chlamydiae
694
The phylum Chlamydiae or Chlamydiota is composed of a single order, Chlamydiales. This phylum consists entirely of obligate intracellular parasites that infect eukaryotic hosts. While human pathogens within this group have been studied extensively, the phylum encompasses many species capable of interacting with various eukaryotic organisms. Members of Chlamydiae are typically small cocci, approximately 0.5 μm in diameter, and exhibit a distinctive developmental cycle. As is characteristic...
694
02:16Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes
17.4K
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...
17.4K
01:28Fungal Phylum Microsporidia
680
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...
680
01:24Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes
578
The phylum Tenericutes, which includes the single class Mollicutes, comprises bacteria that lack cell walls. The term "Mollicutes" derives from the Latin word mollis, meaning "soft." These organisms are among the smallest known and are commonly referred to as mycoplasmas due to the prominence of the genus Mycoplasma, which includes well-known human pathogens. Despite their inability to stain gram-positively (a result of their lack of cell walls), mycoplasmas are phylogenetically related to the...
578
01:08Evolution of Microbial Genome
2
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.
2