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Chrzanowska-Lightowlers ZM, Lightowlers RN. Mitochondrial RNA maturation. RNA Biol 2024; 21:28-39. [PMID: 39385590 PMCID: PMC11469412 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2024.2414157] [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] [Revised: 09/26/2024] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The vast majority of oxygen-utilizing eukaryotes need to express their own mitochondrial genome, mtDNA, to survive. In comparison to size of their nuclear genome, mtDNA is minimal, even in the most exceptional examples. Having evolved from bacteria in an endosymbiotic event, it might be expected that the process of mtDNA expression would be relatively simple. The aim of this short review is to illustrate just how wrong this assumption is. The production of functional mitochondrial RNA across species evolved in many directions. Organelles use a dizzying array of RNA processing, modifying, editing, splicing and maturation events that largely require the import of nuclear-encoded proteins from the cytosol. These processes are sometimes driven by the unusual behaviour of the mitochondrial genome from which the RNA is originally transcribed, but in many examples the complex processes that are essential for the production of functional RNA in the organelle, are fascinating and bewildering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zofia M. Chrzanowska-Lightowlers
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Robert N. Lightowlers
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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2
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Lax G, Cho A, Keeling PJ. Phylogenomics of novel ploeotid taxa contribute to the backbone of the euglenid tree. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2023; 70:e12973. [PMID: 36912454 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Euglenids are a diverse group of flagellates that inhabit most environments and exhibit many different nutritional modes. The most prominent euglenids are phototrophs, but phagotrophs constitute the majority of phylogenetic diversity of euglenids. They are pivotal to our understanding of euglenid evolution, yet we are only starting to understand relationships amongst phagotrophs, with the backbone of the tree being most elusive. Ploeotids make up most of this backbone diversity-yet despite their morphological similarities, SSU rDNA analyses and multigene analyses show that they are non-monophyletic. As more ploeotid diversity is sampled, known taxa have coalesced into some subgroups (e.g. Alistosa), but the relationships amongst these are not always supported and some taxa remain unsampled for multigene phylogenetics. Here, we used light microscopy and single-cell transcriptomics to characterize five ploeotid euglenids and place them into a multigene phylogenetic framework. Our analyses place Decastava in Alistosa; while Hemiolia branches with Liburna, establishing the novel clade Karavia. We describe Hemiolia limna, a freshwater-dwelling species in an otherwise marine clade. Intriguingly, two undescribed ploeotids are found to occupy pivotal positions in the tree: Chelandium granulatum nov. gen. nov. sp. branches as sister to Olkasia, and Gaulosia striata nov. gen. nov. sp. remains an orphan taxon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon Lax
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Anna Cho
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Patrick J Keeling
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, British Columbia, Canada
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3
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Valach M, Moreira S, Petitjean C, Benz C, Butenko A, Flegontova O, Nenarokova A, Prokopchuk G, Batstone T, Lapébie P, Lemogo L, Sarrasin M, Stretenowich P, Tripathi P, Yazaki E, Nara T, Henrissat B, Lang BF, Gray MW, Williams TA, Lukeš J, Burger G. Recent expansion of metabolic versatility in Diplonema papillatum, the model species of a highly speciose group of marine eukaryotes. BMC Biol 2023; 21:99. [PMID: 37143068 PMCID: PMC10161547 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01563-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diplonemid flagellates are among the most abundant and species-rich of known marine microeukaryotes, colonizing all habitats, depths, and geographic regions of the world ocean. However, little is known about their genomes, biology, and ecological role. RESULTS We present the first nuclear genome sequence from a diplonemid, the type species Diplonema papillatum. The ~ 280-Mb genome assembly contains about 32,000 protein-coding genes, likely co-transcribed in groups of up to 100. Gene clusters are separated by long repetitive regions that include numerous transposable elements, which also reside within introns. Analysis of gene-family evolution reveals that the last common diplonemid ancestor underwent considerable metabolic expansion. D. papillatum-specific gains of carbohydrate-degradation capability were apparently acquired via horizontal gene transfer. The predicted breakdown of polysaccharides including pectin and xylan is at odds with reports of peptides being the predominant carbon source of this organism. Secretome analysis together with feeding experiments suggest that D. papillatum is predatory, able to degrade cell walls of live microeukaryotes, macroalgae, and water plants, not only for protoplast feeding but also for metabolizing cell-wall carbohydrates as an energy source. The analysis of environmental barcode samples shows that D. papillatum is confined to temperate coastal waters, presumably acting in bioremediation of eutrophication. CONCLUSIONS Nuclear genome information will allow systematic functional and cell-biology studies in D. papillatum. It will also serve as a reference for the highly diverse diplonemids and provide a point of comparison for studying gene complement evolution in the sister group of Kinetoplastida, including human-pathogenic taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matus Valach
- Department of Biochemistry, Robert-Cedergren Centre for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Sandrine Moreira
- Department of Biochemistry, Robert-Cedergren Centre for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Celine Petitjean
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Corinna Benz
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Anzhelika Butenko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Olga Flegontova
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Nenarokova
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Galina Prokopchuk
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tom Batstone
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Present address: High Performance Computing Centre, Bristol, UK
| | - Pascal Lapébie
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Lionnel Lemogo
- Department of Biochemistry, Robert-Cedergren Centre for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Present address: Environment Climate Change Canada, Dorval, QC, Canada
| | - Matt Sarrasin
- Department of Biochemistry, Robert-Cedergren Centre for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Paul Stretenowich
- Department of Biochemistry, Robert-Cedergren Centre for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Present address: Canadian Centre for Computational Genomics; McGill Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Pragya Tripathi
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Euki Yazaki
- RIKEN Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences Program (iTHEMS), Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takeshi Nara
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Graduate School of Life Science and Technology, Iryo Sosei University, Iwaki City, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Bernard Henrissat
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), CNRS, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France
- Present address: DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Biological Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - B Franz Lang
- Department of Biochemistry, Robert-Cedergren Centre for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michael W Gray
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Comparative Genomics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Tom A Williams
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Gertraud Burger
- Department of Biochemistry, Robert-Cedergren Centre for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Macher JN, Coots NL, Poh YP, Girard EB, Langerak A, Muñoz-Gómez SA, Sinha SD, Jirsová D, Vos R, Wissels R, Gile GH, Renema W, Wideman JG. Single-Cell Genomics Reveals the Divergent Mitochondrial Genomes of Retaria (Foraminifera and Radiolaria). mBio 2023; 14:e0030223. [PMID: 36939357 PMCID: PMC10127745 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00302-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria originated from an ancient bacterial endosymbiont that underwent reductive evolution by gene loss and endosymbiont gene transfer to the nuclear genome. The diversity of mitochondrial genomes published to date has revealed that gene loss and transfer processes are ongoing in many lineages. Most well-studied eukaryotic lineages are represented in mitochondrial genome databases, except for the superphylum Retaria-the lineage comprising Foraminifera and Radiolaria. Using single-cell approaches, we determined two complete mitochondrial genomes of Foraminifera and two nearly complete mitochondrial genomes of radiolarians. We report the complete coding content of an additional 14 foram species. We show that foraminiferan and radiolarian mitochondrial genomes contain a nearly fully overlapping but reduced mitochondrial gene complement compared to other sequenced rhizarians. In contrast to animals and fungi, many protists encode a diverse set of proteins on their mitochondrial genomes, including several ribosomal genes; however, some aerobic eukaryotic lineages (euglenids, myzozoans, and chlamydomonas-like algae) have reduced mitochondrial gene content and lack all ribosomal genes. Similar to these reduced outliers, we show that retarian mitochondrial genomes lack ribosomal protein and tRNA genes, contain truncated and divergent small and large rRNA genes, and contain only 14 or 15 protein-coding genes, including nad1, -3, -4, -4L, -5, and -7, cob, cox1, -2, and -3, and atp1, -6, and -9, with forams and radiolarians additionally carrying nad2 and nad6, respectively. In radiolarian mitogenomes, a noncanonical genetic code was identified in which all three stop codons encode amino acids. Collectively, these results add to our understanding of mitochondrial genome evolution and fill in one of the last major gaps in mitochondrial sequence databases. IMPORTANCE We present the reduced mitochondrial genomes of Retaria, the rhizarian lineage comprising the phyla Foraminifera and Radiolaria. By applying single-cell genomic approaches, we found that foraminiferan and radiolarian mitochondrial genomes contain an overlapping but reduced mitochondrial gene complement compared to other sequenced rhizarians. An alternative genetic code was identified in radiolarian mitogenomes in which all three stop codons encode amino acids. Collectively, these results shed light on the divergent nature of the mitochondrial genomes from an ecologically important group, warranting further questions into the biological underpinnings of gene content variability and genetic code variation between mitochondrial genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan-Niklas Macher
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Marine Biodiversity Group, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole L. Coots
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Yu-Ping Poh
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Elsa B. Girard
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Marine Biodiversity Group, Leiden, The Netherlands
- University of Amsterdam, Department of Ecosystem & Landscape Dynamics, Institute for Biodiversity & Ecosystem Dynamics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anouk Langerak
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Marine Biodiversity Group, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Savar D. Sinha
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Dagmar Jirsová
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Rutger Vos
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Marine Biodiversity Group, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Richard Wissels
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Marine Biodiversity Group, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Gillian H. Gile
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Willem Renema
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Marine Biodiversity Group, Leiden, The Netherlands
- University of Amsterdam, Department of Ecosystem & Landscape Dynamics, Institute for Biodiversity & Ecosystem Dynamics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jeremy G. Wideman
- Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
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5
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Hałakuc P, Karnkowska A, Milanowski R. Typical structure of rRNA coding genes in diplonemids points to two independent origins of the bizarre rDNA structures of euglenozoans. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:59. [PMID: 35534840 PMCID: PMC9082867 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02014-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Members of Euglenozoa (Discoba) are known for unorthodox rDNA organization. In Euglenida rDNA is located on extrachromosomal circular DNA. In Kinetoplastea and Euglenida the core of the large ribosomal subunit, typically formed by the 28S rRNA, consists of several smaller rRNAs. They are the result of the presence of additional internal transcribed spacers (ITSs) in the rDNA. Diplonemea is the third of the main groups of Euglenozoa and its members are known to be among the most abundant and diverse protists in the oceans. Despite that, the rRNA of only one diplonemid species, Diplonema papillatum, has been examined so far and found to exhibit continuous 28S rRNA. Currently, the rDNA organization has not been researched for any diplonemid. Herein we investigate the structure of rRNA genes in classical (Diplonemidae) and deep-sea diplonemids (Eupelagonemidae), representing the majority of known diplonemid diversity. The results fill the gap in knowledge about diplonemid rDNA and allow better understanding of the evolution of the fragmented structure of the rDNA in Euglenozoa. Results We used available genomic (culture and single-cell) sequencing data to assemble complete or almost complete rRNA operons for three classical and six deep-sea diplonemids. The rDNA sequences acquired for several euglenids and kinetoplastids were used to provide the background for the analysis. In all nine diplonemids, 28S rRNA seems to be contiguous, with no additional ITSs detected. Similarly, no additional ITSs were detected in basal prokinetoplastids. However, we identified five additional ITSs in the 28S rRNA of all analysed metakinetoplastids, and up to twelve in euglenids. Only three of these share positions, and they cannot be traced back to their common ancestor. Conclusions Presented results indicate that independent origin of additional ITSs in euglenids and kinetoplastids seems to be the most likely. The reason for such unmatched fragmentation remains unknown, but for some reason euglenozoan ribosomes appear to be prone to 28S rRNA fragmentation. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-022-02014-9.
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6
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Montoliu-Nerin M, Sánchez-García M, Bergin C, Kutschera VE, Johannesson H, Bever JD, Rosling A. In-depth Phylogenomic Analysis of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Based on a Comprehensive Set of de novo Genome Assemblies. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2021; 2:716385. [PMID: 37744125 PMCID: PMC10512289 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2021.716385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Morphological characters and nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) phylogenies have so far been the basis of the current classifications of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Improved understanding of the evolutionary history of AM fungi requires extensive ortholog sampling and analyses of genome and transcriptome data from a wide range of taxa. To circumvent the need for axenic culturing of AM fungi we gathered and combined genomic data from single nuclei to generate de novo genome assemblies covering seven families of AM fungi. We successfully sequenced the genomes of 15 AM fungal species for which genome data was not previously available. Comparative analysis of the previously published Rhizophagus irregularis DAOM197198 assembly confirm that our novel workflow generates genome assemblies suitable for phylogenomic analysis. Predicted genes of our assemblies, together with published protein sequences of AM fungi and their sister clades, were used for phylogenomic analyses. We evaluated the phylogenetic placement of Glomeromycota in relation to its sister phyla (Mucoromycota and Mortierellomycota), and found no support to reject a polytomy. Finally, we explored the phylogenetic relationships within Glomeromycota. Our results support family level classification from previous phylogenetic studies, and the polyphyly of the order Glomerales with Claroideoglomeraceae as the sister group to Glomeraceae and Diversisporales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merce Montoliu-Nerin
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Marisol Sánchez-García
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Uppsala Biocentre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Claudia Bergin
- Microbial Single Cell Genomics Facility, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Verena Esther Kutschera
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
| | - Hanna Johannesson
- Department of Organismal Biology, Systematic Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - James D. Bever
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Anna Rosling
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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7
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Záhonová K, Lax G, Sinha SD, Leonard G, Richards TA, Lukeš J, Wideman JG. Single-cell genomics unveils a canonical origin of the diverse mitochondrial genomes of euglenozoans. BMC Biol 2021; 19:103. [PMID: 34001130 PMCID: PMC8130358 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01035-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The supergroup Euglenozoa unites heterotrophic flagellates from three major clades, kinetoplastids, diplonemids, and euglenids, each of which exhibits extremely divergent mitochondrial characteristics. Mitochondrial genomes (mtDNAs) of euglenids comprise multiple linear chromosomes carrying single genes, whereas mitochondrial chromosomes are circular non-catenated in diplonemids, but circular and catenated in kinetoplastids. In diplonemids and kinetoplastids, mitochondrial mRNAs require extensive and diverse editing and/or trans-splicing to produce mature transcripts. All known euglenozoan mtDNAs exhibit extremely short mitochondrial small (rns) and large (rnl) subunit rRNA genes, and absence of tRNA genes. How these features evolved from an ancestral bacteria-like circular mitochondrial genome remains unanswered. Results We sequenced and assembled 20 euglenozoan single-cell amplified genomes (SAGs). In our phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses, three SAGs were placed within kinetoplastids, 14 within diplonemids, one (EU2) within euglenids, and two SAGs with nearly identical small subunit rRNA gene (18S) sequences (EU17/18) branched as either a basal lineage of euglenids, or as a sister to all euglenozoans. Near-complete mitochondrial genomes were identified in EU2 and EU17/18. Surprisingly, both EU2 and EU17/18 mitochondrial contigs contained multiple genes and one tRNA gene. Furthermore, EU17/18 mtDNA possessed several features unique among euglenozoans including full-length rns and rnl genes, six mitoribosomal genes, and nad11, all likely on a single chromosome. Conclusions Our data strongly suggest that EU17/18 is an early-branching euglenozoan with numerous ancestral mitochondrial features. Collectively these data contribute to untangling the early evolution of euglenozoan mitochondria. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01035-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristína Záhonová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Gordon Lax
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Savar D Sinha
- Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Biodesign Institute, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
| | - Guy Leonard
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic. .,Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic.
| | - Jeremy G Wideman
- Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Biodesign Institute, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA.
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8
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Tikhonenkov DV, Gawryluk RMR, Mylnikov AP, Keeling PJ. First finding of free-living representatives of Prokinetoplastina and their nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2946. [PMID: 33536456 PMCID: PMC7859406 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82369-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Kinetoplastids are heterotrophic flagellated protists, including important parasites of humans and animals (trypanosomatids), and ecologically important free-living bacterial consumers (bodonids). Phylogenies have shown that the earliest-branching kinetoplastids are all parasites or obligate endosymbionts, whose highly-derived state makes reconstructing the ancestral state of the group challenging. We have isolated new strains of unusual free-living flagellates that molecular phylogeny shows to be most closely related to endosymbiotic and parasitic Perkinsela and Ichthyobodo species that, together with unidentified environmental sequences, form the clade at the base of kinetoplastids. These strains are therefore the first described free-living prokinetoplastids, and potentially very informative in understanding the evolution and ancestral states of morphological and molecular characteristics described in other kinetoplastids. Overall, we find that these organisms morphologically and ultrastructurally resemble some free-living bodonids and diplonemids, and possess nuclear genomes with few introns, polycistronic mRNA expression, high coding density, and derived traits shared with other kinetoplastids. Their genetic repertoires are more diverse than the best-studied free-living kinetoplastids, which is likely a reflection of their higher metabolic potential. Mitochondrial RNAs of these new species undergo the most extensive U insertion/deletion editing reported so far, and limited deaminative C-to-U and A-to-I editing, but we find no evidence for mitochondrial trans-splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis V. Tikhonenkov
- grid.4886.20000 0001 2192 9124Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, 152742 Russia ,grid.446209.d0000 0000 9203 3563AquaBioSafe Laboratory, University of Tyumen, 625003 Tyumen, Russia
| | - Ryan M. R. Gawryluk
- grid.143640.40000 0004 1936 9465Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2 Canada
| | - Alexander P. Mylnikov
- grid.4886.20000 0001 2192 9124Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, 152742 Russia
| | - Patrick J. Keeling
- grid.17091.3e0000 0001 2288 9830Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4 Canada
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9
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Inventory and Evolution of Mitochondrion-localized Family A DNA Polymerases in Euglenozoa. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9040257. [PMID: 32244644 PMCID: PMC7238167 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9040257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The order Trypanosomatida has been well studied due to its pathogenicity and the unique biology of the mitochondrion. In Trypanosoma brucei, four DNA polymerases, namely PolIA, PolIB, PolIC, and PolID, related to bacterial DNA polymerase I (PolI), were shown to be localized in mitochondria experimentally. These mitochondrion-localized DNA polymerases are phylogenetically distinct from other family A DNA polymerases, such as bacterial PolI, DNA polymerase gamma (Polγ) in human and yeasts, “plant and protist organellar DNA polymerase (POP)” in diverse eukaryotes. However, the diversity of mitochondrion-localized DNA polymerases in Euglenozoa other than Trypanosomatida is poorly understood. In this study, we discovered putative mitochondrion-localized DNA polymerases in broad members of three major classes of Euglenozoa—Kinetoplastea, Diplonemea, and Euglenida—to explore the origin and evolution of trypanosomatid PolIA-D. We unveiled distinct inventories of mitochondrion-localized DNA polymerases in the three classes: (1) PolIA is ubiquitous across the three euglenozoan classes, (2) PolIB, C, and D are restricted in kinetoplastids, (3) new types of mitochondrion-localized DNA polymerases were identified in a prokinetoplastid and diplonemids, and (4) evolutionarily distinct types of POP were found in euglenids. We finally propose scenarios to explain the inventories of mitochondrion-localized DNA polymerases in Kinetoplastea, Diplonemea, and Euglenida.
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Abstract
Cells are the building blocks of life, from single-celled microbes through to multi-cellular organisms. To understand a multitude of biological processes we need to understand how cells behave, how they interact with each other and how they respond to their environment. The use of new methodologies is changing the way we study cells allowing us to study them on minute scales and in unprecedented detail. These same methods are allowing researchers to begin to sample the vast diversity of microbes that dominate natural environments. The aim of this special issue is to bring together research and perspectives on the application of new approaches to understand the biological properties of cells, including how they interact with other biological entities. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Single cell ecology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Richards
- Biosciences and Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Ramon Massana
- Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stefano Pagliara
- Biosciences and Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Neil Hall
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UZ, UK.,School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TU, UK
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