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Redescription and molecular phylogeny of the freshwater metopid, Castula strelkowi (Jankowski, 1964) from the Czech Republic and synonymization of Pileometopus with Castula Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-29 William Bourland, Ondřej Pomahač, Ivan Čepička
The relationships of the mainly free living, obligately anaerobic ciliated protists belonging to order Metopida continue to be clarified and now comprise three families: Metopidae, Tropidoatractidae, and Apometopidae. The most species-rich genus of the Metopidae, has undergone considerable subdivision into new genera in recent years as more taxa are characterized by modern morphologic and molecular
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Circular extrachromosomal DNA in Euglena gracilis under normal and stress conditions Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-29 Natalia Gumińska, Paweł Hałakuc, Bożena Zakryś, Rafał Milanowski
Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) enhances genomic plasticity, augmenting its coding and regulatory potential. Advances in high-throughput sequencing have enabled the investigation of these structural variants. Although eccDNAs have been investigated in numerous taxa, they remained understudied in euglenids. Therefore, we examined eccDNAs predicted from Illumina sequencing data of Z SAG 1224–5/25
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Biodiversity of autotrophic euglenids based on the group specific DNA metabarcoding approach Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-04 Katarzyna Jankowska, Maja Łukomska-Kowalczyk, Rafał Milanowski, Alicja Fells, Bożena Zakryś
This study reports a comprehensive analysis of photoautotrophic euglenids’ distribution and biodiversity in 16 small water bodies of various types (including fish ponds, field ponds, rural ponds and park ponds) located in three regions of Poland: Masovia, Masuria and Pomerania during a period of three years. By employing a euglenid specific barcode marker and a curated database of V2 18S rDNA sequences
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DNA barcodes reliably differentiate between nivicolous species of Diderma (Myxomycetes, Amoebozoa) and reveal regional differences within Eurasia Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2024-02-10 Oleg N. Shchepin, Ángela López Villalba, Maho Inoue, Ilya S. Prikhodko, Daria A. Erastova, Mikhail V. Okun, Jan Woyzichovski, Yuka Yajima, Vladimir I. Gmoshinskiy, Gabriel Moreno, Yuri K. Novozhilov, Martin Schnittler
The nivicolous species of the genus are challenging to identify, and there are several competing views on their delimitation. We analyzed 102 accessions of nivicolous spp. that were sequenced for two or three unlinked genes to determine which of the current taxonomic treatments is better supported by molecular species delimitation methods. The results of a haplotype web analysis, Bayesian species delimitation
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Morpho-molecular and environmental evidence of the ocurrence of Karenia longicanalis (Dinophyceae: Kareniaceae) as a bloom former in the Eastern Pacific Ocean Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2024-02-07 Alexis Escarcega-Bata, María Luisa Núñez Resendiz, María Eugenia Zamudio-Resendiz, Kurt M. Dreckmann, Estefany Cuevas Sánchez, Abel Sentíes
, an athecate dinoflagellate, was first described during a bloom in Victoria Harbour (Hong Kong, China). This study confirms the presence of as a bloom former in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Specimens were collected in March 2019 at three sampling stations in Acapulco Bay, Mexico. Water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH were measured in situ at the time of sample collection. Cell morphology
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DNA metabarcoding reveals the impact of Cu2+ on soil cercozoan diversity Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2024-02-01 Leah Lourenço, Sara Ellegaard Bager, Duncan Y.K. Ng, Sanea Sheikh, Nikolaj Lunding Kindtler, Ida Broman Nielsen, Tobias Guldberg Frøslev, Flemming Ekelund
Although copper (Cu) is a micronutrient, the metal may be toxic if present in high concentrations in soil ecosystems and subsequently affect various organisms, ranging from microorganisms to earthworms. We performed a microcosm study with an array of Cu concentrations, with a specific focus on Cercozoa, an important protozoan group in most soil food webs. Research on Cercozoa is still scarce in terms
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Phylogenetic affiliation of Pedinomonas noctilucae and green Noctiluca scintillans nutritional dynamics in the Gulf of Mannar, Southeastern Arabian Sea Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-30 Vajravelu Manigandan, Chandrasekaran Muthukumar, Chinmay Shah, Natarajan Logesh, Sanitha K. Sivadas, Karri Ramu, M.V. Ramana Murthy
The present investigation focused on studying the phylogenetic position of the green endosymbiont, , collected from the Gulf of Mannar, India. In this study, we re-examined the evolutionary position of this endosymbiotic algae using rbcL sequences. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that is distantly related to the species, and formed a monophyletic clade with Marsupiomandaceae. Based on the phylogenetic
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Discovery of a new photosynthetic euglenoid in Poland: Euglena mazurica sp. nov. (Euglenales, Euglenaceae) Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-28 Bożena Zakryś, Katarzyna Jankowska, Anna Majerowicz, Alicja Fells, Maja Łukomska-Kowalczyk
Herein we describe a new photosynthetic euglenoid species found in Poland - . A large population exists in a small, eutrophic body of water located in a pasture near Mikołajki town inside the Masurian Landscape Park (covering a part of the Masurian Lake District in Poland). The unique cell shape (corkscrew-like) discerns it well from other previously described euglenoid species with metabolic cells
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Ras superfamily GTPases and signal transduction in Euglena gracilis Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-28 Mark C. Field
Biological complexity is challenging to define, but can be considered through one or more features, including overall genome size, number of genes, morphological features, multicellularity, number of life cycle stages and the ability to adapt to different environments. meets several of these criteria, with a large genome of ∼38,000 protein coding genes and a considerable ability to survive under many
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Single-cell genomics revealed Candidatus Grellia alia sp. nov. as an endosymbiont of Eutreptiella sp. (Euglenophyceae) Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-27 Metody Hollender, Marta Sałek, Michał Karlicki, Anna Karnkowska
Though endosymbioses between protists and prokaryotes are widespread, certain host lineages have received disproportionate attention what may indicate either a predisposition to such interactions or limited studies on certain protist groups due to lack of cultures. The euglenids represent one such group in spite of microscopic observations showing intracellular bacteria in some strains. Here, we perform
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On Saville-Kent's “a Manual of the infusoria” Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-12-23 John R. Dolan
Abstract not available
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Morphogenesis of an anaerobic ciliate Heterometopus palaeformis (Kahl, 1927) Foissner, 2016 (Ciliophora, Armophorea) with notes on its morphological and molecular characterization Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-12-16 Wenbao Zhuang, Xiaochen Feng, Ran Li, Saleh A. Al-Farraj, Xiaozhong Hu
The morphology, morphogenesis, and molecular phylogeny of Heterometopus palaeformis (Kahl, 1927) Foissner, 2016 were studied using microscopical observations on live and protargol-stained specimens as well SSU rRNA gene sequencing. The morphogenetic data for the genus are presented for the first time. Compared to other metopids, the morphogenesis of H. palaeformis is distinct since its (1) perizonal
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Boosting algicidal efficiency of Alteromonas sp. FDHY-CJ against Skeletonema costatum through fermentation optimization Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-12-12 Pin Lv, Xinguo Shi, Qianqian Wang, Yuying Zhong, Yisong Guo, Jianfeng Chen
Algicidal bacteria exhibit promising potential against harmful algal blooms (HABs); however, their application has been limited due to their limited algicidal activity. This study demonstrates the enhanced algicidal activity of Alteromonas sp. FDHY-CJ bacteria against harmful Skeletonema costatum using a 5 L fermenter. Utilizing this refined framework increased the OD600 value and algal cell mortality
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Gleaning Euglenozoa-specific DNA polymerases in public single-cell transcriptome data Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-11-25 Ryo Harada, Yuji Inagaki
Multiple genes encoding family A DNA polymerases (famA DNAPs), which are evolutionary relatives of DNA polymerase I (PolI) in bacteria and phages, have been found in eukaryotic genomes, and many of these proteins are used mainly in organelles. Among members of the phylum Euglenozoa, distinct types of famA DNAP, PolIA, PolIBCD+, POP, and eugPolA, have been found. It is intriguing how the suite of famA
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Understanding wax ester synthesis in Euglena gracilis: Insights into mitochondrial anaerobic respiration Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-11-21 Masami Nakazawa, Hiroshi Inui
Euglena gracilis, photosynthetic protist, has a unique ability to generate wax esters in the absence of oxygen, employing a distinctive fatty acid synthesis mechanism. Through comprehensive inhibitor assays and gene-silencing techniques, our research clearly emphasized the indispensable role of the mitochondrial anaerobic respiratory chain in this biosynthesis. We identified acyl-CoA dehydrogenase
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First record of Colpodidium caudatum (Ciliophora, Colpodidiidae) in Europe Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-11-08 Juan Rodero Madrid, José Luis Olmo, Genoveva F. Esteban
The present study documents the discovery of the first European population of Colpodidium caudatum (Ciliophora, Colpodidiidae) in a water drain in a school playground in Manzanares (Ciudad Real, Spain). This species has been documented on every continent except Antarctica and Europe, until now. The ciliate was isolated from wet run-off soil collected from the water drain and was grown in semi-permanent
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A three-genome ultraconserved element phylogeny of cryptophytes Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-11-02 Matthew J. Greenwold, Kristiaän Merritt, Tammi L. Richardson, Jeffry L. Dudycha
Cryptophytes are single celled protists found in all aquatic environments. They are composed of a heterotrophic genus, Goniomonas, and a largely autotrophic group comprising many genera. Cryptophytes evolved through secondary endosymbiosis between a host eukaryotic heterotroph and a symbiont red alga. This merger resulted in a four-genome system that includes the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes from
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Ciliates from the faeces of the free-ranging dromedary from Oman: Morphology and molecular phylogeny Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-10-10 Olga A. Kornilova, Anna I. Ganyukova, Maria E. Belokon, Vladimir V. Platonov, Ludmila V. Chistyakova
Ciliates Infundibulorium cameli from the faeces of the free-ranging dromedary from Oman were studied using a set of methods of the light and immunofluorescence microscopy and molecular phylogeny. With the use of molecular genetic methods, it was confirmed that the cysts found in the samples simultaneously with trophozoites actually belong to the species I. cameli. Tubulin cytoskeleton organization
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Genomic architecture constrains macromolecular allocation in dinoflagellates Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-09-12 Olga Carnicer, Ying-Yu Hu, Vinitha Ebenezer, Andrew J. Irwin, Zoe V. Finkel
Dinoflagellate genomes have a unique architecture that may constrain their physiological and biochemical responsiveness to environmental stressors. Here we quantified how nitrogen (N) starvation influenced macromolecular allocation and C:N:P of three photosynthetic marine dinoflagellates, representing different taxonomic classes and genome sizes. Dinoflagellates respond to nitrogen starvation by decreasing
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Taxonomy and morphology of Calciopappus curvus sp. nov. (Syracosphaeraceae, Prymnesiophyceae), a novel appendage-bearing coccolithophore Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-07-28 Odysseas A. Archontikis, Josué G. Millán, Harald Andruleit, Lluïsa Cros, Annelies Kleijne, Mikal Heldal, Hai Doan-Nhu, Amos Winter, Leocadio Blanco-Bercial, Jeremy R. Young
Based on scanning electron microscopy observations, a new species of the coccolithophore genus Calciopappus (Syracosphaeraceae, Prymnesiophyceae) is described from the surface waters off Bergen and from the lower photic zone of sub-tropical and tropical waters. Morphological, coccolith rim structure and biometric analyses strongly support separation of this morphotype from the two described Calciopappus
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Protozoa in the remarkable wall charts of Leuckart and Nitsche's Zoologische Wandtaflen Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-07-14
Abstract not available
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Taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of pleurostomatid ciliates from China with a description of two new species Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-06-30 Gongaote Zhang, Yuan Li, Ruitao Gong, Yu Qiao, Saleh A. Al-Farraj, Hongbo Pan, Zhe Wang, Hunter N. Hines
Ciliates in the order Pleurostomatida are found free-living in many habitats including within biofilms, but some (e.g. Pseudoamphileptus spp.) are ectocommensal on various hosts. Due to issues involving overall undersampling, the exact diversity and molecular phylogeny of this group remain largely underexplored. To combat this deficiency, detailed investigations were undertaken in northern China. As
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In vitro Evaluation the Efficacy of Some Nnew Plant Extracts and Biocides on the Viability of Acanthamoeba castellanii Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-05-09 Anas Abdullah Hamad
The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of certain plant extracts and to compare them with current biocides on the viability of Acanthamoeba castellanii cysts and trophozoites in vitro. Amoebicidal and cysticidal assays were performed against both trophozoites and cysts of Acanthamoeba castellanii (ATCC 50370). Ten plant extracts were evaluated alongside the current agents included polyhexamethylene
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Taxonomy of a New Parasitic Euglenid, Euglenaformis parasitica sp. nov. (Euglenales, Euglenaceae) in Ostracods and Rhabdocoels Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-05-09 Koichiro Kato, Kensuke Yahata, Takeshi Nakayama
Parasitic euglenids have rarely been studied. We found parasitic euglenids in two species of ostracods (Cyprinotus cassidula, Dolerocypris sinensis) and two species of rhabdocoels (Mesostoma lingua, Microdalyellia armigera) in a rice field. These parasites grew and proliferated inside the host body. These parasites had pellicle strips, one emergent flagellum, and a red stigma, but no chloroplasts,
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Diverse eukaryotic phytoplankton from around the Marquesas Islands documented by combined microscopy and molecular techniques Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-05-09 Jana Veselá-Strejcová, Eleonora Scalco, Adriana Zingone, Sébastien Colin, Luigi Caputi, Diana Sarno, Jana Nebesářová, Chris Bowler, Julius Lukeš
Oceanic phytoplankton serve as a base for the food webs within the largest planetary ecosystem. Despite this, surprisingly little is known about species composition, function and ecology of phytoplankton communities, especially for vast areas of the open ocean. In this study we focus on the marine phytoplankton microflora from the vicinity of the Marquesas Islands in the Southern Pacific Ocean collected
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A New Mayorella Species Isolated from the Mariana Trench Area (Pacific Ocean) Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-04-13 Xiaoli Lei, Xiaojuan Chen, Jianming Chen, Chen Liang
In this paper, we describe a new naked amoeba species, Mayorella marianaensis sp. n., order Dermamoebida, isolated from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean (>3,000 m depth) in the vicinity of the Mariana Trench, based on morphological and molecular data. The newly discovered species was identified based on morphological and molecular data. This is the first time that a Mayorella species was discovered
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Microalga–bacteria Community with High Level Carbon Dioxide Acclimation and Nitrogen-fixing Ability Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-04-13 Haruki Iida, Nobuhiro Aburai, Katsuhiko Fujii
Microalgal conversion of high-level CO2 in industrial flue gas to value-added products is attractive technology for mitigating global warming. However, reduction of microalgal production costs for medium ingredients, particularly nitrogen salts, is essential. The use of atmospheric nitrogen as a nitrogen source for microalgal cultivation will dramatically reduce its production costs. We attempted to
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Characterisation and Cultivation of New Lineages of Colponemids, a Critical Assemblage for Inferring Alveolate Evolution Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-03-18 Andrea S. Gigeroff, Yana Eglit, Alastair G.B. Simpson
There are several alveolate groups outside the well-studied trio – ciliates, dinoflagellates, and apicomplexans – that are crucial for understanding the evolution of this major taxon. One such assemblage is the “colponemids”, which are eukaryotrophic biflagellates, usually with a ventral groove associated with the posterior flagellum. Previous phylogenetic studies show colponemids forming up to three
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25 years of Protist: A Thank You to Editor-in-Chief Michael Melkonian Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-02-28 Ellen Nisbet, Chris Howe
Abstract not available
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Prevalence and Subtype Distribution of Blastocystis in Tibetan Sheep in Qinghai Province, Northwestern China Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-03-01 Fan Yang, Jing-min Gou, Bing-ke Yang, Jia-yue Du, Hui-zhong Yao, Mei Ren, Qing Lin
Blastocystis is one of the most common intestinal protists in humans and a great number of animals, including sheep and goats. High prevalence and multiple subtypes of Blastocystis have been reported in sheep in several regions of China and elsewhere. However, there is a dearth of knowledge about Blastocystis in Tibetan sheep. A total of 761 fecal samples were collected from Tibetan sheep in seven
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Sterol Composition of the Peridinin-Containing Dinoflagellate Gertia stigmatica, a Member of the Kareniaceae without a Canonical Haptophyte-Derived Plastid Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2023-01-24 Jeffrey D. Leblond, Kyra Sabir, Henry L. Whittemore
Gertia stigmatica is a recently described member of the Kareniaceae with a peridinin-containing plastid rather than the aberrant, haptophyte-derived, tertiary plastid found in canonical Kareniaceae genera such as Karenia, Karlodinium, and Takayama. G. stigmatica provides a unique opportunity to compare biochemical traits, such as sterol composition, between these two fundamentally different types of
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Protist Diversity Responses to Experimental N Deposition in Biological Crusts of a Semiarid Mediterranean Ecosystem Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-11-15 Blanca Pérez-Uz, Virginia C. Galfione, Raul Ochoa-Hueso, Mercedes Martín-Cereceda
Biological soil crusts (BSC) are associations of different macro and microorganisms and aggregated soil particles located on the surface of soils in many different habitats. BSC harbour a diverse and complex community of ciliates and testate amoebae. These phagotrophic protists play an important role in C and N recycling in soil ecosystems but have not been frequently studied in BSC. In this context
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The Effect of pH and Salinity on the Toxicity and Growth of the Golden Alga, Prymnesium parvum Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-11-04 David A. Caron, Alle A.Y. Lie, Tom Buckowski, Jim Turner, Kevin Frabotta
Bioassays using cultures of the toxic haptophyte Prymnesium parvum and the ciliate Cyclidium sp. as prey were conducted to test the effect of pH (range = 6.5 – 8.5), salinity (range = 1.50 – 7.50‰), and a combination of pH and salinity on the toxicity of P. parvum. pH had a significant effect on P. parvum toxicity. Toxicity was rapidly (within 24 hr) induced by increasing pH of the medium, or reduced
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Effects of Glacial Flour on Marine Micro-plankton: Evidences from Natural Communities of Greenlandic Fjords and Experimental Studies Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-11-04 Maira Maselli, Lorenz Meire, Patrick Meire, Per Juel Hansen
Meltwater runoff from glaciers carries particles, so-called glacial flour that may affect planktonic organisms and the functioning of marine ecosystems. Protist microplankton is at the base of marine food webs and thus plays an important role in sustaining important ecosystem services. To assess the effect of glacial flour on photoautotrophic, heterotrophic and mixotrophic microplankton, the spatial
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Introduction to the Special Issue: Bland J. Finlay: Uncovering the Unseen World of Microbes Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-10-27 Genoveva F. Esteban, Stephen C. Maberly
Abstract not available
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Seasonal Patterns of Phytoplankton Taxon Richness in Lakes: Effects of Temperature, Turnover and Abundance Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-10-21 Stephen C. Maberly, Anne Chao, Bland J. Finlay
Species richness is a key ecological characteristic that influences numerous ecosystem functions. Here we analyse the patterns and possible causes of phytoplankton taxon richness in seasonal datasets from twenty contrasting lakes in the English Lake District over six years and near-weekly datasets over 33 years from Windermere. Taxon richness was lowest in winter and highest in summer or autumn in
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Re-evaluating Loricate Choanoflagellate Phylogenetics: Molecular Evidence Points to the Paraphyly of Tectiform Species Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-10-13 Martin Carr, Barry S.C. Leadbeater
Lorica-bearing choanoflagellates belong to the order Acanthoecida, a taxon which has been consistently recovered as monophyletic in molecular phylogenies. Based upon differences in lorica development and morphology, as well as the presence or absence of a motile dispersal stage, species are labelled as either nudiform or tectiform. Whilst Acanthoecida is robustly resolved in molecular phylogenies,
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Significance of the Nudiform and Tectiform Modes of Silica Deposition, Lorica Assembly and Cell Division in Choanoflagellates as Exemplified by Stephanoeca diplocostata and Enibas spp. Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-10-13 Barry S.C. Leadbeater, Martin Carr
The deposition of silicified costal strips and lorica assembly in choanoflagellates is precisely linked to the cell cycle. A minority of species undergo nudiform division whereby a loricate cell divides to produce a naked daughter cell that deposits a set of costal strips and then assembles a lorica. Most species undergo tectiform division whereby a parent loricate cell produces a set of costal strips
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Implications of a Catastrophic Refrigeration Failure on the Viability of Cryogenically Stored Samples Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-10-01 John G. Day, Katharine H. Childs, Glyn N. Stacey
Abstract Cryopreservation, the use of very low temperatures to preserve structurally intact living cells and tissues, is a key underpinning technology for life science research and medicine. It is employed to ensure the stability of critical biological resources including viruses, bacteria, protists, animal cell cultures, plants, reproductive materials and embryos. Fundamental to ensuring this stability
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New Angled Twin–layer Porous Substrate Photobioreactors for Cultivation of Nannochloropsis oculata Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-09-30 Hoang-Dung Tran, Binh-Nguyen Ong, Vinh-Tuong Ngo, Dai-Long Tran, Thanh-Cong Nguyen, Bich-Huy Tran-Thi, Thanh-Tri Do, Tran-Minh-Ly Nguyen, Xuan-Hoang Nguyen, Michael Melkonian
An angled twin–layer porous substrate photobioreactor (TL-PSBR) using LED light was designed to cultivate Nannochloropsis oculata. Flocculation and sedimentation by modification of pH to 11 were determined as the optimal method for harvesting the N. oculata inoculum. The following optimised parameters were found: tilt angle 15°, Kraft 220 g m−2 paper as substrate material, initial inoculum density
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What Drives the Assembly of Plant-associated Protist Microbiomes? Investigating the Effects of Crop Species, Soil Type and Bacterial Microbiomes Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-09-28 Kenneth Dumack, Kai Feng, Sebastian Flues, Melanie Sapp, Susanne Schreiter, Rita Grosch, Laura E. Rose, Ye Deng, Kornelia Smalla, Michael Bonkowski
In a field experiment we investigated the influence of the environmental filters soil type (i.e. three contrasting soils) and plant species (i.e. lettuce and potato) identity on rhizosphere community assembly of Cercozoa, a dominant group of mostly bacterivorous soil protists. Plant species (14%) and rhizosphere origin (vs bulk soil) with 13%, together explained four times more variation in cercozoan
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The Extraordinarily Rare Ciliate Legendrea loyezae Fauré-Fremiet, 1908 (Haptoria, Ciliophora) Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-09-23 James Weiss, Demetra Andreou, Genoveva F. Esteban
Diverse and dynamic communities of ciliates and other microbes thrive in the natural environment, driving the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Many microbes are present in very low numbers or are dormant in the ‘seedbank’, escaping detection in environmental surveys and, consequently, remaining underexplored. Here, we report an extraordinarily rare ciliate that was discovered after persistent exploration
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Testate Amoebae in Historical parks of Potsdam, Germany Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-09-15 Anatoly Bobrov, Sebastian Wetterich, Lutz Schirrmeister
To explore the potential of urban settings as habitats for testate amoebae, five historical parks in Potsdam (Germany) were sampled at different sites. A total of 32 sampling sites was chosen in proximity to deciduous (Acer, Castanea, Fagus, Tilia, Platanus, Quercus) and coniferous (Fraxinus, Picea, Pinus, Tsuga) trees. Meadows and creeks were also sampled. The overall taxonomic record comprises 76
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Some Personal Memories of Bland J. Finlay and Work on Protists in “Priest Pot“ Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-09-12 Ulrike-G. Berninger
With his scientific curiosity and deep understanding of unicellular organisms, Bland J. Finlay could demonstrate that water bodies as small and innocuous as “Priest Pot“ in the English Lake District represent a very broad range of protists and their interactions. From this, not only the field of protistan ecology benefitted greatly, but also my personal career. Enclosed are some scientific and personal
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Integrative Studies on Three Epibiotic Epistylis Species (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Peritrichia) in Lake Weishan Wetland, Northern China, Including the Establishment of a New Species Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-09-06 Tong Wu, Yujie Liu, Yan Liu, Borong Lu, Xiao Cao, Shuang Hao, Saleh A. AL-Farraj, Alan Warren, Tengteng Zhang, Zhe Wang
Three epibiotic Epistylis species, i.e., Epistylis weishanensis sp. nov., Epistylis daphniae Fauré-Fremiet, 1905, and Epistylis pygmaeum (Ehrenberg, 1838) Foissner et al., 1999, were investigated based on their living morphology, infraciliature, and small subunit (SSU) rDNA sequence data. Epistylis weishanensis sp. n. is characterized by its double-layered peristomial lip, contractile vacuole located
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Unravelling the Phylogeny of a Common Intestinal Protist: Intrageneric Diversity of Endolimax Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-09-07 Emma Filtenborg Hocke, Mahwash Jamy, Fabien Burki, C. Graham Clark, Christen Rune Stensvold
Endolimax nana is a common endobiont of the human intestine, but members of the genus have also been reported in non-human hosts and in non-intestinal organs. Limited information is available regarding the genetic diversity of Endolimax, which is necessary to delineate species, host specificity and potential differences in clinical impact on the host. Here, we used cloning of PCR products followed
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Illustrating the Invisible: The Role of Drawing in the Career of Bland J. Finlay Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-08-12 Carlos F. Finlay
This is a dedicatory article to the role drawing played in the career of Bland J. Finlay FRS, written by his son. It explores some of the many diagrams Bland produced as part of his research, while reflecting on the broader influence of protozoloogical illustrations in art and architectural history.
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Bland James Finlay (March 16, 1952–December 24, 2021) Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-08-10 Tom Fenchel
Abstract not available
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High Environmentally Induced Plasticity in Spore Size and Numbers of Nuclei per Spore in Physarum albescens (Myxomycetes) Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-08-04 Jan Woyzichovski, Oleg N. Shchepin, Martin Schnittler
Spore size enables dispersal in plasmodial slime molds (Myxomycetes) and is an important taxonomic character. We recorded size and the number of nuclei per spore for 39 specimens (colonies of 50–1000 sporocarps) of the nivicolous myxomycete Physarum albescens, a morphologically defined taxon with several biological species. For each colony, three sporocarps were analyzed from the same spore mount under
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Improved Methods for Bulk Cultivation and Fixation of Loxodes Ciliates for Fluorescence Microscopy Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-08-03 Brandon Kwee Boon Seah, Christiane Emmerich, Aditi Singh, Estienne Carl Swart
Loxodes is one of the best ecologically characterized ciliate genera with numerous intriguing physiological abilities, including gravity-sensing organelles and nitrate respiration. However, these cells have been considered challenging to cultivate in bulk, and are poorly preserved by conventional fixatives used for fluorescence microscopy. Here we describe methods to grow and harvest Loxodes cells
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First Molecular Characterization of the Elusive Marine Protist Meteora sporadica Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-06-25 Luis Javier Galindo, Purificación López-García, David Moreira
Meteora sporadica is a protist species first described by Hausmann et al. (2002) in deep-sea sediments from the Sporades Basin, Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Due to its unusual morphology and locomotion, very different from those of other high-rank eukaryotic taxa, it was classified as an incertae sedis species. Unfortunately, its morphological characterization was not accompanied by the generation of
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On the Biology, Diversity and Evolution of Nucleariid Amoebae (Amorphea, Obazoa, Opisthokonta1 Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-06-17 Toni Gabaldón, Eckhard Völcker, Guifré Torruella
Nucleariids are a small group of free-living heterotrophic amoebae. Although these organisms present a variety of cell sizes and cell coverings, they are mostly spherical cells with radiating filopodia, sometimes with several nuclei. Nuclearia, the genus that gives the name to the group, contains species that are opportunistic consumers of detritus, bacteria, and algae. The beautiful Pompholyxophrys
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Meeting Report: Euglenids in the Age of Symbiogenesis: Origins, Innovations, and Prospects, November 8–11, 2021 Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-06-07 Emma Kaszecki, Victoria Kennedy, Mahfuzur Shah, Kacper Maciszewski, Anna Karnkowska, Eric Linton, Michael L. Ginger, Scott Farrow, ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer
Abstract not available
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Diversity and Phylogenetic Position of Bothrostoma Stokes, 1887 (Ciliophora: Metopida), with Description of Four New Species Protist (IF 2.5) Pub Date : 2022-05-20 Daniel Méndez-Sánchez, Ondřej Pomahač, Johana Rotterová, William Bourland, Ivan Čepička
Bothrostoma is a genus of anaerobic ciliates in family Metopidae comprising four species, all described based solely on the morphology of living and fixed cells. Unlike other metopids, cells of Bothrostoma are not twisted anteriorly, have a flattened preoral dome, a very prominent sail-like paroral membrane, and an adoral zone of distinctive, very narrow, curved membranelles confined to a wide, non-spiraling