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Jiang C, Gu S, Pan T, Wang X, Qin W, Wang G, Gao X, Zhang J, Chen K, Warren A, Xiong J, Miao W. Dynamics and timing of diversification events of ciliated eukaryotes from a large phylogenomic perspective. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 197:108110. [PMID: 38768875 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Ciliophora, an exceptionally diverse lineage of unicellular eukaryotes, exhibits a remarkable range of species richness across classes in the ciliate Tree of Life. In this study, we have acquired transcriptome and genome data from 40 representative species in seven ciliate classes. Utilizing 247 genes and 105 taxa, we devised a comprehensive phylogenomic tree for Ciliophora, encompassing over 60 % of orders and constituting the most extensive dataset of ciliate species to date. We established a robust phylogenetic framework that encompasses ambiguous taxa and the major classes within the phylum. Our findings support the monophyly of each of two subphyla (Postciliodesmatophora and Intramacronucleata), along with three subclades (Protocruzia, CONTHREEP, and SAPML) nested within Intramacronucleata, and elucidate evolutionary positions among the major classes within the phylum. Drawing on the robust ciliate Tree of Life and three constraints, we estimated the radiation of Ciliophora around 1175 Ma during the middle of the Proterozoic Eon, and most of the ciliate classes diverged from their sister lineage during the latter half of this period. Additionally, based on the time-calibrated tree and species richness pattern, we investigated net diversification rates of Ciliophora and its classes. The global net diversification rate for Ciliophora was estimated at 0.004979 species/Ma. Heterogeneity in net diversification rates was evident at the class level, with faster rates observed in Oligohymenophorea and Spirotrichea than other classes within the subclades CONTHREEP and SAPML, respectively. Notably, our analysis suggests that variations in net diversification rates, rather than clade ages, appear to contribute to the differences in species richness in Ciliophora at the class level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanqi Jiang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Siyu Gu
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Pan
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xueyan Wang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weiwei Qin
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guangying Wang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinxin Gao
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Alan Warren
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Jie Xiong
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Miao
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, China.
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Cedrola F, Senra MVX, Morales MJA, Fregulia P, Canesin L, Dias RJP, Solferini VN. Giants' cooperation: a draft genome of the giant ciliate Muniziella cunhai suggests its ecological role in the capybara's digestive metabolism. Microb Genom 2024; 10:001263. [PMID: 38953769 PMCID: PMC11316547 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Several hundred ciliate species live in animals' guts as a part of their microbiome. Among them, Muniziella cunhai (Trichostomatia, Pycnotrichidae), the largest described ciliate, is found exclusively associated with Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (capybara), the largest known rodent reaching up to 90 kg. Here, we present the sequence, structural and functional annotation of this giant microeukaryote macronuclear genome and discuss its phylogenetic placement. The 85 Mb genome is highly AT rich (GC content 25.71 %) and encodes a total of 11 397 protein-coding genes, of which 2793 could have their functions predicted with automated functional assignments. Functional annotation showed that M. cunhai can digest recalcitrant structural carbohydrates, non-structural carbohydrates, and microbial cell walls, suggesting a role in diet metabolization and in microbial population control in the capybara's intestine. Moreover, the phylogenetic placement of M. cunhai provides insights on the origins of gigantism in the subclass Trichostomatia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciane Cedrola
- Laboratório de Diversidade Genética, Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Millke Jasmine Arminini Morales
- Laboratório de Diversidade Genética, Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Priscila Fregulia
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Roberto Júnio Pedroso Dias
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Vera Nisaka Solferini
- Laboratório de Diversidade Genética, Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Center for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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Kornilova OA, Ganyukova AI, Belokon ME, Platonov VV, Chistyakova LV. Ciliates from the faeces of the free-ranging dromedary from Oman: Morphology and molecular phylogeny. Protist 2023; 174:125993. [PMID: 37844389 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2023.125993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
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 of trophozoites and cysts of this species were described for the first time. A striking morphological similarity between species I. cameli and Buxtonella sulcata was demonstrated, including the organization of ciliature. Different isolates of I. cameli and B. sulcata formed a common clade on the phylogenetic tree. The level of evolutionary divergence between the 18 S rRNA sequences of I. cameli, B. sulcata and species closest to them according to the results of molecular phylogenetic analysis was estimated. It was demonstrated that the divergence between I. cameli and B. sulcata is extremely low compared to members of other genera included in the analysis. Taxonomic position of I. cameli and B. sulcata was discussed in according to the data of comparative morphology and molecular phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga A Kornilova
- Department of Zoology and Genetics, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Moika emb., 48, St. Petersburg 191186, Russia.
| | - Anna I Ganyukova
- Laboratory of Parasitic Worms and Protists, Zoological Institute RAS, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Maria E Belokon
- Laboratory of Parasitic Worms and Protists, Zoological Institute RAS, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Vladimir V Platonov
- Laboratory of Theriology, Zoological Institute RAS, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Ludmila V Chistyakova
- Laboratory of Parasitic Worms and Protists, Zoological Institute RAS, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
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Kornilova OA, Belokon ME, Skazina MA, Alekseeva OS, Chistyakova LV. Ciliates from the intestine of zoo-kept black rhinoceros, with immunofluorescence microscopic and molecular phylogenetic investigation of Rhinozeta rhinozeta (Litostomatea). Eur J Protistol 2023; 90:126006. [PMID: 37499449 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2023.126006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The study of endobiotic ciliates from the intestines of various zoo mammals is important for revealing the influence of various factors on endobiont communities. In this paper we describe the species diversity of endobiotic ciliates from the faeces of the eastern black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis michaeli (male and two females, mother and daughter) kept in the zoo. Seven species of the ciliates were found, among them Rhinozeta rhinozeta, R. triciliata and Prototapirella clypeata were observed in the rhinos only. The other two, Monoposthium sp. and Triplumaria sp., according to their morphology should have been identified as new ciliate species. Successful transmission of the endobionts from parents to the young rhino in the zoo was demonstrated. R. rhinozeta was investigated with the using of the methods of the light and immunofluorescence microscopy and molecular phylogeny. The composition and phylogeny of the family Cycloposthiidae were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga A Kornilova
- Department of Zoology and Genetics, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Maria E Belokon
- Laboratory of Parasitic Worms and Protists, Zoological Institute RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Olga S Alekseeva
- Department of Zoology and Genetics, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ludmila V Chistyakova
- Laboratory of Parasitic Worms and Protists, Zoological Institute RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia
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Estrada-Peña A, Guglielmone AA, Nava S. Worldwide host associations of the tick genus Ixodes suggest relationships based on environmental sharing rather than on co-phylogenetic events. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:75. [PMID: 36810195 PMCID: PMC9945728 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05641-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aims to capture how ticks of the genus Ixodes gained their hosts using network constructs. We propose two alternative hypotheses, namely, an ecological background (ticks and hosts sharing environmentally available conditions) and a phylogenetic one, in which both partners co-evolved, adapting to existing environmental conditions after the association took place. METHODS We used network constructs linking all the known pairs of associations between each species and stage of ticks with families and orders of hosts. Faith's phylogenetic diversity was used to evaluate the phylogenetic distance of the hosts of each species and changes occurring in the ontogenetic switch between consecutive stages of each species (or the extent of the changes in phylogenetic diversity of hosts for consecutive stages of the same species). RESULTS We report highly clustered associations among Ixodes ticks and hosts, supporting the influence of the ecological adaptation and coexistence, demonstrating a lack of strict tick-host coevolution in most cases, except for a few species. Keystone hosts do not exist in the relationships between Ixodes and vertebrates because of the high redundancy of the networks, further supporting an ecological relationship between both types of partners. The ontogenetic switch of hosts is high for species with enough data, which is another potential clue supporting the ecological hypothesis. Other results suggest that the networks displaying tick-host associations are different according to the biogeographical realms. Data for the Afrotropical region reveal a lack of extensive surveys, while results for the Australasian region are suggestive of a mass extinction of vertebrates. The Palearctic network is well developed, with many links demonstrating a highly modular set of relationships. CONCLUSIONS With the obvious exceptions of Ixodes species restricted to one or a few hosts, the results point to an ecological adaptation. Even results on species linked to groups of ticks (such as Ixodes uriae and the pelagic birds or the bat-tick species) are suggestive of a previous action of environmental forces.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alberto A. Guglielmone
- Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela—Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (INTA-Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Rafaela, Santa Fe Argentina
| | - Santiago Nava
- Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela—Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (INTA-Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Rafaela, Santa Fe Argentina
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Obert T, Zhang T, Rurik I, Vďačný P. First molecular evidence of hybridization in endosymbiotic ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora). Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1067315. [PMID: 36569075 PMCID: PMC9772525 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1067315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hybridization is an important evolutionary process that can fuel diversification via formation of hybrid species or can lead to fusion of previously separated lineages by forming highly diverse species complexes. We provide here the first molecular evidence of hybridization in wild populations of ciliates, a highly diverse group of free-living and symbiotic eukaryotic microbes. The impact of hybridization was studied on the model of Plagiotoma, an obligate endosymbiont of the digestive tube of earthworms, using split decomposition analyses and species networks, 2D modeling of the nuclear rRNA molecules and compensatory base change analyses as well as multidimensional morphometrics. Gene flow slowed down and eventually hampered the diversification of Lumbricus-dwelling plagiotomids, which collapsed into a single highly variable biological entity, the P. lumbrici complex. Disruption of the species boundaries was suggested also by the continuum of morphological variability in the phenotypic space. On the other hand, hybridization conspicuously increased diversity in the nuclear rDNA cistron and somewhat weakened the host structural specificity of the P. lumbrici complex, whose members colonize a variety of phylogenetically closely related anecic and epigeic earthworms. By contrast, another recorded species, P. aporrectodeae sp. n., showed no signs of introgression, no variability in the rDNA cistron, and very high host specificity. These contrasting eco-evolutionary patterns indicate that hybridization might decrease the alpha-diversity by dissolving species boundaries, weaken the structural host specificity by broadening ecological amplitudes, and increase the nuclear rDNA variability by overcoming concerted evolution within the P. lumbrici species complex.
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Li Z, Wang X, Zhang Y, Yu Z, Zhang T, Dai X, Pan X, Jing R, Yan Y, Liu Y, Gao S, Li F, Huang Y, Tian J, Yao J, Xing X, Shi T, Ning J, Yao B, Huang H, Jiang Y. Genomic insights into the phylogeny and biomass-degrading enzymes of rumen ciliates. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:2775-2787. [PMID: 35986094 PMCID: PMC9666518 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-022-01306-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the biodiversity and genetics of gut microbiomes has important implications for host physiology and industrial enzymes, whereas most studies have been focused on bacteria and archaea, and to a lesser extent on fungi and viruses. One group, still underexplored and elusive, is ciliated protozoa, despite its importance in shaping microbiota populations. Integrating single-cell sequencing and an assembly-and-identification pipeline, we acquired 52 high-quality ciliate genomes of 22 rumen morphospecies from 11 abundant morphogenera. With these genomes, we resolved the taxonomic and phylogenetic framework that revised the 22 morphospecies into 19 species spanning 13 genera and reassigned the genus Dasytricha from Isotrichidae to a new family Dasytrichidae. Comparative genomic analyses revealed that extensive horizontal gene transfers and gene family expansion provided rumen ciliate species with a broad array of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) to degrade all major kinds of plant and microbial carbohydrates. In particular, the genomes of Diplodiniinae and Ophryoscolecinae species encode as many CAZymes as gut fungi, and ~80% of their degradative CAZymes act on plant cell-wall. The activities of horizontally transferred cellulase and xylanase of ciliates were experimentally verified and were 2-9 folds higher than those of the inferred corresponding bacterial donors. Additionally, the new ciliate dataset greatly facilitated rumen metagenomic analyses by allowing ~12% of the metagenomic sequencing reads to be classified as ciliate sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongjun Li
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Xiangnan Wang
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Zhongtang Yu
- Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Xuelei Dai
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Xiangyu Pan
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Ruoxi Jing
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
- College of Animal Engineering, Yangling Vocational & Technical College, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Yueyang Yan
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Yangfan Liu
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Shan Gao
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Fei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China
| | - Youqin Huang
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China
| | - Jian Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Junhu Yao
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - XvPeng Xing
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Tao Shi
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Jifeng Ning
- College of Information Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Bin Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Huoqing Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Yu Jiang
- Center for Ruminant Genetics and Evolution, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
- Center for Functional Genomics, Institute of Future Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
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da Silva Costa F, Júnio Pedroso Dias R, Fonseca Rossi M. Macroevolutionary analyses of ciliates associated with hosts support high diversification rates. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:967-976. [PMID: 33991568 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Ciliophora is a phylum that is comprised of extremely diverse microorganisms with regard to their morphology and ecology. They may be found in various environments, as free-living organisms or associated with metazoans. Such associations range from relationships with low metabolic dependence such as epibiosis, to more intimate relationships such as mutualism and parasitism. We know that symbiotic relationships occur along the whole phylogeny of the group, however, little is known about their evolution. Theoretical studies show that there are two routes for the development of parasitism, yet few authors have investigated the evolution of these characteristics using molecular tools. In the present study, we inferred a wide dated molecular phylogeny, based on the 18S rDNA gene, for the entire Ciliophora phylum, mapped life habits throughout the evolutionary time, and evaluated whether symbiotic relationships were linked to the variation in diversification rates and to the mode of evolution of ciliates. Our results showed that the last common ancestor for Ciliophora was likely a free-living organism, and that parasitism is a recent adaptation in ciliates, emerging more than once and independently via two distinct routes: (i) a free-living ciliate evolved into a mutualistic organism and, later, into a parasitic organism, and (ii) a free-living ciliate evolved directly into a parasitic organism. Furthermore, we have found a significant increase in the diversification rate of parasitic and mutualistic ciliates compared with their free-living conspecifics. The evolutionary success in different lineages of symbiont ciliates may be associated with many factors including type and colonization placement on their host, as well as physical and physiological conditions made available by the hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola da Silva Costa
- Protozoology Laboratory (LabProto), Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Post-Graduation Program, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Roberto Júnio Pedroso Dias
- Protozoology Laboratory (LabProto), Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Post-Graduation Program, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Mariana Fonseca Rossi
- Protozoology Laboratory (LabProto), Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Post-Graduation Program, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Obert T, Rurik I, Vd’ačný P. Diversity and Eco-Evolutionary Associations of Endosymbiotic Astome Ciliates With Their Lumbricid Earthworm Hosts. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:689987. [PMID: 34220782 PMCID: PMC8250849 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.689987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Coevolution of endosymbionts with their hosts plays an important role in the processes of speciation and is among the most fascinating topics in evolutionary biology. Astome ciliates represent an interesting model for coevolutionary studies because they are so tightly associated with their host organisms that they completely lost the cell oral apparatus. In the present study, we used five nuclear markers (18S rRNA gene, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region, and 28S rRNA gene) and two mitochondrial genes (16S rRNA gene and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) to explore the diversity of astomes inhabiting the digestive tract of lumbricid earthworms at temperate latitudes in Central Europe and to cast more light on their host specificity and coevolution events that shaped their diversification. The present coevolutionary and phylogenetic interaction-adjusted similarity analyses suggested that almost every host switch leads to speciation and firm association with the new host. Nevertheless, the suggested high structural host specificity of astomes needs to be tested with increased earthworm sampling, as only 52 out of 735 lumbricid earthworms (7.07%) were inhabited by ciliates. On the other hand, the diversification of astomes associated with megascolecid and glossoscolecid earthworms might have been driven by duplication events without host switching.
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De Souza BA, Dias RJP, Senra MVX. Intrageneric evolutionary timing and hidden genetic diversity of Paramecium lineages (Ciliophora: Oligohymenophorea). SYST BIODIVERS 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2020.1769225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Aline De Souza
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Campus Universitário, Juiz de Fora, CEP 36036-900, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Roberto Junio Pedroso Dias
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Campus Universitário, Juiz de Fora, CEP 36036-900, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinicius Xavier Senra
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Campus Universitário, Juiz de Fora, CEP 36036-900, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Instituto de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Itajubá, Itajubá, CEP 37500-903, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Obert T, Vďačný P. Delimitation of five astome ciliate species isolated from the digestive tube of three ecologically different groups of lumbricid earthworms, using the internal transcribed spacer region and the hypervariable D1/D2 region of the 28S rRNA gene. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:37. [PMID: 32171235 PMCID: PMC7071660 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-020-1601-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Various ecological groups of earthworms very likely constitute sharply isolated niches that might permit speciation of their symbiotic ciliates, even though no distinct morphological features appear to be recognizable among ciliates originating from different host groups. The nuclear highly variable ITS1–5.8S-ITS2 region and the hypervariable D1/D2 region of the 28S rRNA gene have proven to be useful tools for the delimitation of species boundaries in closely related free-living ciliate taxa. In the present study, the power of these molecular markers as well as of the secondary structure of the ITS2 molecule were tested for the first time in order to discriminate the species of endosymbiotic ciliates that were isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of three ecologically different groups of lumbricid earthworms. Results Nineteen new ITS1–5.8S-ITS2 region and D1/D2-28S rRNA gene sequences were obtained from five astome species (Anoplophrya lumbrici, A. vulgaris, Metaradiophrya lumbrici, M. varians, and Subanoplophrya nodulata comb. n.), which were living in the digestive tube of three ecological groups of earthworms. Phylogenetic analyses of the rRNA locus and secondary structure analyses of the ITS2 molecule robustly resolved their phylogenetic relationships and supported the distinctness of all five species, although previous multivariate morphometric analyses were not able to separate congeners in the genera Anoplophrya and Metaradiophrya. The occurrence of all five taxa, as delimited by molecular analyses, was perfectly correlated with the ecological groups of their host earthworms. Conclusions The present study indicates that morphology-based taxonomy of astome ciliates needs to be tested in the light of molecular and ecological data as well. The use of morphological identification alone is likely to miss species that are well delimited based on molecular markers and ecological traits and can lead to the underestimation of diversity and overestimation of host range. An integrative approach along with distinctly increased taxon sampling would be helpful to assess the consistency of the eco-evolutionary trend in astome ciliates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Obert
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, 842 15, Slovak Republic
| | - Peter Vďačný
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, 842 15, Slovak Republic.
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Multi-gene phylogeny of Tetrahymena refreshed with three new histophagous species invading freshwater planarians. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:1523-1545. [PMID: 32152714 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06628-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Planarians represent an insufficiently explored group of aquatic invertebrates that might serve as hosts of histophagous ciliates belonging to the hymenostome genus Tetrahymena. During our extensive research on freshwater planarians, parasitic tetrahymenas were detected in two of the eight planarian species investigated, namely, in Dugesia gonocephala and Girardia tigrina. Using the 16S and 18S rRNA genes as well as the barcoding cytochrome oxidase subunit I, one ciliate species was identified as T. scolopax and three species were recognized as new forms: T. acanthophora, T. dugesiae, and T. nigricans. Thus, 25% of the examined planarian taxa are positive for Tetrahymena species and three of them represent new taxa, indicating a large undescribed ciliate diversity in freshwater planarians. According to phylogenetic analyses, histophagous tetrahymenas show a low phylogenetic host specificity. Although T. acanthophora, T. dugesiae, and T. scolopax clustered together within the "borealis" clade, the former species has been detected exclusively in G. tigrina, while the two latter species only in D. gonocephala. Tetrahymena nigricans, which has been isolated only from G. tigrina, was classified within the "paravorax" clade along with T. glochidiophila which feeds on glochidia. The present phylogenetic reconstruction of ancestral life strategies suggested that the last common ancestor of the family Tetrahymenidae was free-living, unlike the progenitor of the subclass Hymenostomatia which was very likely parasitic. Consequently, there were at least seven independent shifts back to parasitism/histophagy within Tetrahymena: one each in the "paravorax" and "australis" clades and at least five transfers back to parasitism in the "borealis" clade.
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Cedrola F, Senra MVX, Rossi MF, Fregulia P, D’Agosto M, Dias RJP. Trichostomatid Ciliates (Alveolata, Ciliophora, Trichostomatia) Systematics and Diversity: Past, Present, and Future. Front Microbiol 2020; 10:2967. [PMID: 32010077 PMCID: PMC6974537 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tracts of most herbivorous mammals are colonized by symbiotic ciliates of the subclass Trichostomatia, which form a well-supported monophyletic group, currently composed by ∼1,000 species, 129 genera, and 21 families, distributed into three orders, Entodiniomorphida, Macropodiniida, and Vestibuliferida. In recent years, trichostomatid ciliates have been playing a part in many relevant functional studies, such as those focusing in host feeding efficiency optimization and those investigating their role in the gastrointestinal methanogenesis, as many trichostomatids are known to establish endosymbiotic associations with methanogenic Archaea. However, the systematics of trichostomatids presents many inconsistencies. Here, we stress the importance of more taxonomic works, to improve classification schemes of this group of organisms, preparing the ground to proper development of such relevant applied works. We will present a historical review of the systematics of the subclass Trichostomatia highlighting taxonomic problems and inconsistencies. Further on, we will discuss possible solutions to these issues and propose future directions to leverage our comprehension about taxonomy and evolution of these symbiotic microeukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciane Cedrola
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinicius Xavier Senra
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
- Instituto de Recursos Naturais Renováveis, Universidade Federal de Itajubá, Itajubá, Brazil
| | - Mariana Fonseca Rossi
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
| | - Priscila Fregulia
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
| | - Marta D’Agosto
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
| | - Roberto Júnio Pedroso Dias
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
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Obert T, Vďačný P. Evolutionary Origin and Host Range of Plagiotoma lumbrici (Ciliophora, Hypotrichia), an Obligate Gut Symbiont of Lumbricid Earthworms. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2019; 67:176-189. [PMID: 31603571 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Four common earthworm species, the anecic Lumbricus terrestris, the endogeic Octolasion tyrteum as well as the epigeic Eisenia fetida and Dendrobaena veneta, were examined for the presence of the microbial gut symbiont Plagiotoma lumbrici. The evolutionary origin of this endobiotic microbe was reconstructed, using the 18S rRNA gene, the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region, and the first two domains of the 28S rRNA gene. Plagiotoma lumbrici was exclusively detected in the anecic Lumbricus terrestris. Multigene analyses and the ITS2 secondary structure robustly determined the phylogenetic home of Plagiotoma lumbrici populations within the oxytrichid Dorsomarginalia (Spirotrichea: Hypotrichia) as a sister taxon of the free-living Hemiurosomoida longa. This indicates that earthworms obtained their gut endosymbiont by ingesting soil/leaf litter containing oxytrichine ciliates that became adapted to the intestinal tract of earthworms. Interestingly, according to the literature data, Plagiotoma lumbrici was detected in multiple anecic and some epigeic but never in endogeic earthworms. These observations suggest that Plagiotoma lumbrici might be adapted to certain gut conditions and the lifestyle of anecic Lumbricidae, such as Lumbricus, Aporrectodea, and Scherotheca, as well as of some co-occurring epigeic Lumbricus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Obert
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Peter Vďačný
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
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15
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Cedrola F, Senra MV, D'Agosto M, Dias RJP. Helmet-shaped Body of Entodiniomorphid Ciliates (Ciliophora, Entodiniomorphida), a Synapomorphy or a Homoplasy? J Eukaryot Microbiol 2019; 67:140-143. [PMID: 31278835 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Triadinium was created to include Triadinium caudatum. Further, four other species were included, T. minimum, T. galea, T. elongatum, and T. magnum, all sharing a characteristic helmet-shaped body. Wolska and Grain argued that the inclusion of T. minimum and T. galea into Triadinium was done based on superficial morphological aspects, and established two new genera to accommodate these species: Circodinium and Gassovskiella. Although the phylogenetic relationships within Entodiniomorphida have been investigated by multiple authors, none of them discussed the evolutionary relationship of helmet-shaped entodiniomorphids. We performed molecular phylogenetics and revisited old literature digging for morphological data to explain our results. According to our analyses, the helmet-shaped body is homoplastic and may have evolved from at least three different entodiniomorphid ancestors. Circodinium minimum is phylogenetically related to members of Blepharocorythidae, T. caudatum emerged within Spirodiniidae and G. galea within Polydiniellidae. This phylogenetic hypothesis is partially supported by information on infraciliature and ultrastructure of C. minimum and T. caudatum. However, such morphological information is not available for polydiniellids. In order to shed some light into the evolution of the helmet-shaped ciliates, future works should focus to collect information on the infraciliature and the ultrastructure of Polydiniella mysorea and of other Triadinium species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciane Cedrola
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Campus Universitário, CEP 36036-900, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinicius Senra
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Campus Universitário, CEP 36036-900, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Instituto de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Itajubá, CEP 37500-903, Itajubá, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Marta D'Agosto
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Campus Universitário, CEP 36036-900, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Roberto Júnio Pedroso Dias
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Campus Universitário, CEP 36036-900, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Fernandes NM, Schrago CG. A multigene timescale and diversification dynamics of Ciliophora evolution. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2019; 139:106521. [PMID: 31152779 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Ciliophora is one of the most diverse lineages of unicellular eukaryotes. Nevertheless, a robust timescale including all main lineages and employing properly identified ciliate fossils as primary calibrations is lacking. Here, we inferred a time-calibrated multigene phylogeny of Ciliophora evolution, and we used this timetree to investigate the rates and patterns of lineage diversification through time. We implemented a two-step analytical approach that favored both gene and taxon sampling, reducing the uncertainty of time estimates and yielding narrower credibility intervals on the ribosomal-derived chronogram. We estimate the origin of Ciliophora at 1143 Ma, which is substantially younger than previously proposed ages, and the huge diversity explosion occurred during the Paleozoic. Among the current groups recognized as classes, Spirotrichea diverged earlier, its origin was dated at ca. 850 Ma, and Protocruziea was the younger class, with crown age estimated at 56 Ma. Macroevolutionary analysis detected a significant rate shift in diversification dynamics in the spirotrichean clade Hypotrichia + Oligotrichia + Choreotrichia, which had accelerated speciation rate ca. 570 Ma, during the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition. For all crown lineages investigated, speciation rates declined through time, whereas extinction rates remained low and relatively constant throughout the evolutionary history of ciliates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Mendes Fernandes
- Laboratório de Protistologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Carlos G Schrago
- Laboratório de Biologia Evolutiva Teórica e Aplicada, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Rataj M, Vdacny P. Living morphology and molecular phylogeny of oligohymenophorean ciliates associated with freshwater turbellarians. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2019; 134:147-166. [PMID: 31120041 DOI: 10.3354/dao03366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Three freshwater turbellarian species (Dugesia gonocephala, Girardia tigrina, and Polycelis felina), belonging to the order Tricladida, were examined for the presence of ciliates. Living morphology and phylogenetic position of the isolated ciliates were studied using light microscopy and molecular phylogenetic methods. Three ciliate species, all from the highly diverse class Oligohymenophorea, were detected: Haptophrya planariarum from the subclass Astomatia, Urceolaria mitra from the subclass Peritrichia, and Tetrahymena sp. from the subclass Hymenostomatia. Each of these ciliates is specialized for different parts of the turbellarian bodies: H. planariarum lives in the pharynx and rami of the intestine, U. mitra colonizes the body surface, and Tetrahymena sp. attacks open wounds and feeds on the mesenchyme. Astomes and peritrichs isolated from turbellarians are placed deeper in 18S rRNA gene phylogenies than their relatives isolated from annelids and mollusks. On the other hand, Tetrahymena sp. isolated from turbellarians is classified comparatively deeply within the family Tetrahymenidae, suggesting that the phylogeny of tetrahymenids does not correlate with that of their obligate/facultative host groups. Nevertheless, the reconstruction of ancestral traits corroborated the hypothesis that histophagy was already a life history trait of the progenitor of the subclass Hymenostomatia to which Tetrahymena belongs.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Rataj
- Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
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Vďačný P, Rajter Ľ, Stoeck T, Foissner W. A Proposed Timescale for the Evolution of Armophorean Ciliates: Clevelandellids Diversify More Rapidly Than Metopids. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2018; 66:167-181. [PMID: 29873141 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Members of the class Armophorea occur in microaerophilic and anaerobic habitats, including the digestive tract of invertebrates and vertebrates. Phylogenetic kinships of metopid and clevelandellid armophoreans conflict with traditional morphology-based classifications. To reconcile their relationships and understand their morphological evolution and diversification, we utilized the molecular clock theory as well as information contained in the estimated time trees and morphology of extant taxa. The radiation of the last common ancestor of metopids and clevelandellids very likely occurred during the Paleozoic and crown diversification of the endosymbiotic clevelandellids dates back to the Mesozoic. According to diversification analyses, endosymbiotic clevelandellids have higher net diversification rates than predominantly free-living metopids. Their cladogenic success was very likely associated with sharply isolated ecological niches constituted by their hosts. Conflicts between traditional classifications and molecular phylogenies of metopids and clevelandellids very likely come from processes, leading to further diversification without extinction of ancestral lineages as well as from morphological plesiomorphies incorrectly classified as apomorphies. Our study thus suggests that diversification processes and reconstruction of ancestral morphologies improve the understanding of paraphyly which occurs in groups of organisms with an apparently long evolutionary history and when speciation prevails over extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Vďačný
- Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ľubomír Rajter
- Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Thorsten Stoeck
- Department of Ecology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Wilhelm Foissner
- FB Ecology and Evolution, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
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