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Why the -omic future of Apicomplexa should include gregarines
Julie Boisard1,2, Isabelle Florent1
1Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245), Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Paris, Cedex 05, France.
Biology of the Cell
|March 17, 2020
Summary
Gregarines, apicomplexan parasites of invertebrates, offer crucial insights into parasite evolution. Molecular studies of these extracellular parasites are vital for understanding apicomplexan adaptive capacities and biodiversity.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Gregarines are poorly understood apicomplexan parasites infecting invertebrates.
- Their extracellular lifestyle contrasts with well-studied intracellular vertebrate parasites.
- They are essential for understanding apicomplexan evolution and host adaptation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the potential of molecular exploration in gregarine parasites.
- To emphasize the need for comparative genomic studies of gregarines.
- To broaden the understanding of apicomplexan adaptive mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on gregarine biology and molecular data.
- Comparative analysis of gregarine features with other apicomplexans.
- Discussion of challenges in gregarine biodiversity assessment.
Main Results:
- Gregarines possess unique cellular forms and interactions due to their lifestyle.
- Molecular data can reveal novel insights into apicomplexan ultrastructure, function, and behavior.
- Current gregarine biodiversity is significantly underestimated.
Conclusions:
- Molecular exploration of gregarines is crucial for understanding apicomplexan evolution.
- Prioritizing specific gregarine species for research is necessary.
- Further studies will reveal novel adaptive mechanisms in Apicomplexa.
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