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Small Things that Make a Big Difference: Single-Cell Transcriptomic of Nanociliates Reveals Genes Potentially
Filomena Romano1, Uwe John2,3, Michele Laval-Peuto4,5
1Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, PO Box 2214, 71003, Heraklion, Greece.
Microbial Ecology
|July 9, 2025
Summary
Marine nanociliates are crucial to ocean food webs. This study analyzed their transcriptomes, revealing mixotrophic potential through both photosynthesis and phagocytosis genes, not just photosynthesis alone.
Area of Science:
- Marine microbial ecology
- Protistology
- Genomics
Background:
- Nanociliates are vital in marine microbial food webs, acting as grazers and prey.
- Limited knowledge exists on nanociliate taxonomy, phylogeny, and mixotrophic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the phylogenetic placement of five marine planktonic nanociliates.
- To identify genes related to mixotrophy, focusing on photosynthesis and phagocytosis pathways.
Main Methods:
- Phylotranscriptomic analysis of five nanociliate isolates.
- Reciprocal best hits (RHBs) BlastP analysis to detect specific genes.
Main Results:
- Phylogenetic analysis placed two isolates with Tintinnida and three with Oligotrichida.
- Genes for photosynthesis, phagocytosis (phagosome, lysosome), and general metabolism were identified.
- Photosynthesis genes alone are insufficient indicators of mixotrophic potential.
Conclusions:
- Mixotrophy in nanociliates involves both photosynthetic and phagocytic mechanisms.
- Transcriptomic data provides a foundation for future studies on mixotrophy and gene expression in ciliates.
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