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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...
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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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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,...
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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...
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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...
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Divergent Plastid Genomes in the Deepest-Branching Apicomplexan Parasites.

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Genome Biology and Evolution
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We sequenced plastid genomes from archigregarines, revealing unique characteristics and filling a gap in understanding apicoplast evolution in diverse apicomplexan symbionts.

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Area of Science:

  • Parasitology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Apicomplexans are diverse animal symbionts, including human parasites like Plasmodium.
  • Most apicomplexans possess a nonphotosynthetic plastid (apicoplast), but its evolution is complex, with frequent genome losses in early-diverging lineages.
  • Archigregarines, a deep-branching subgroup, are hypothesized to retain plastid genomes, making them crucial for evolutionary studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the plastid genome of archigregarines, the deepest-branching apicomplexan lineage.
  • To investigate the evolutionary history and diversity of apicoplasts in underrepresented apicomplexan groups.
  • To fill a critical gap in understanding apicoplast genome evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Single-cell sequencing was employed to obtain plastid genomes from uncultivated archigregarine representatives.
  • Comparative genomic analysis was performed on the newly sequenced plastid genomes.
  • Phylogenetic analysis was used to infer evolutionary relationships.

Main Results:

  • Plastid genomes from all four archigregarine lineages were successfully characterized.
  • These genomes exhibit greater divergence and lower GC-content compared to other apicoplast genomes.
  • The archigregarine plastid genomes encode a distinct set of genes, notably lacking photosynthesis-related genes.

Conclusions:

  • The characterized archigregarine plastid genomes represent a unique and previously missing data set in apicomplexan plastid diversity.
  • These findings provide crucial insights into the complex evolutionary trajectory of the apicoplast, including independent gene losses and genome reduction.
  • This study enhances our understanding of apicoplast evolution in deep-branching apicomplexan lineages.