1
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Chae KS, Jung JH, Min GS. Description of Conchophthirus sinanodontae n. sp. (Ciliophora: Scuticociliatia), a new endocommensal ciliate of the freshwater mussel Sinanodonta woodiana from Korea. Eur J Protistol 2024; 95:126112. [PMID: 39243505 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2024.126112] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
The morphology and molecular phylogeny of a new ciliate, Conchophthirus sinanodontae n. sp., which was discovered in the freshwater mussel Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) from the Chilsancheon River, Buyeo-gun, South Korea, were investigated. The new species was characterized and could be distinguished from congeners by a combination of characters including the ovate body outline, four to six oral polykinetids deeply embedded in the upper wall of the buccal cavity, six to ten vestibular kineties, 34-49 ventral and 36-53 dorsal somatic kineties. The genetic differences among C. sinanodontae n. sp. and other congeners with available 18S rDNA sequences further support its distinctness. Moreover, the phylogenetic analyses based on the 18S rDNA sequences show that the new species clusters with other congeners, corroborating the monophyly of the genus Conchophthirus. The Conchophthirus clade nests within the cluster of Dexiotricha spp., Loxocephalus luridus, and Haptophrya spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyu-Seok Chae
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, South Korea; Department of Biological Sciences, Inha University, Incheon 22212, South Korea
| | - Jae-Ho Jung
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, South Korea.
| | - Gi-Sik Min
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, South Korea; Department of Biological Sciences, Inha University, Incheon 22212, South Korea.
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2
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Song W, Zhang S, Li Y, Ma H, Li Q, Luo X, Al-Rasheid KAS, Hines HN, Lu X. Multi-gene-based investigation on the molecular phylogeny of the hypotrichous family Strongylidiidae (Protista, Ciliophora), with notes on the ontogeny of a new genus and new species. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 6:442-461. [PMID: 39219684 PMCID: PMC11358561 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-024-00243-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Ciliates in the subclass Hypotrichia have long been difficult to classify as they are one of the most polymorphic and highly differentiated groups, leading to their systematics remaining unresolved. Phylogenetic relationships within the hypotrich family Strongylidiidae have been ambiguous due to discordance between the morphological and genetic data. In this study, a new strongylidiid genus Heterouroleptus is established, mainly based on the novel mode of origin of the ventral cirral rows: left ventral cirral row (LVR) originates from frontal-ventral-transverse cirral anlagen (FVTA) III (anterior portion), IV (middle portion), and V (rear portion); right ventral cirral row comes from the entire FVTA VI. A new species, Heterouroleptus weishanensis gen. nov., sp. nov., is investigated along with the morphometric and molecular data from a population of Strongylidium wuhanense. Eight new sequences and nuclear gene markers (single-gene and multi-gene) are provided to analyze the phylogenetic relationships of strongylidiids, with the COI gene utilized to uncover further genetic information at species level and below. The results reveal that: (1) Strongylidiidae is monophyletic and has a close relationship with Dorsomarginalia; (2) Heterouroleptus gen. nov. forms a clade that is sister to all the other strongylidiids; (3) Hemiamphisiella Foissner, 1988 and Pseudouroleptus Hemberger, 1985 should not be synonyms, and both genera should be subdivided due to their variable morphological characteristics; (4) LVR originating from three anlagen is a plesiomorphy of Strongylidiidae. The discovery of the origin of the LVR not only contributes to the establishment of the genus Heterouroleptus, but also helps to improve the diagnosis of the family Strongylidiidae. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-024-00243-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenya Song
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072 China
| | - Shijing Zhang
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Yuqing Li
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Honggang Ma
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Qiyu Li
- Weishan Special Aquaculture Base, Jining, 277600 China
| | - Xiaotian Luo
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072 China
| | | | - Hunter N. Hines
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, 34946 USA
| | - Xiaoteng Lu
- Department of Biology, Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, Shenzhen, 518172 China
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3
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Do EH, Kwon HI, Yeo JH, Quintela-Alonso P, Jung JH. Morphology and molecular phylogeny of Euplotes baugilensis n. sp. (Ciliophora, Spirotrichea), with an illustrated key to Euplotes species with reduced cirri. Eur J Protistol 2024; 95:126110. [PMID: 39180835 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2024.126110] [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: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Euplotes baugilensis n. sp. was discovered in a temporary puddle that formed after rainfall on a mountain footpath near Gangneung-Wonju National University in Gangneung, South Korea. After isolation, a pure culture was established, and the new species was examined using live observation, silver-impregnation (protargol and 'wet' silver nitrate), scanning electron microscopy, and the analysis of the 18S rRNA gene sequence. Morphologically, E. baugilensis n. sp. is characterized by small body size (on average 49 × 31 µm in vivo), 9 ordinary fronto-ventral cirri (cirrotype-9) with one reduced cirrus V/2 (composed of four non-ciliated basal bodies), 5 transverse cirri, 7 or 8 dorsolateral kineties, 6 dorsal prominent ridges, and a dargyrome (silverline system) of double type. In this study, we have used a combination of morphological and molecular techniques to characterize E. baugilensis n. sp. and determine its phylogenetic position within the genus Euplotes. Molecular analysis using 18S rRNA gene sequences indicated that E. baugilensis n. sp. is most closely related to E. curdsi (with a sequence identity of 96.8 %).
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Hye Do
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea; Department of Convergence Medical Science, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye-In Kwon
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Hyeon Yeo
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Pablo Quintela-Alonso
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jae-Ho Jung
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
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Ramírez-Ballesteros M, Durán-Ramírez CA, Romero-Niembro VM, Mayén-Estrada R. Epibiotic ciliate communities on the crayfish Procambarus (Austrocambarus) sp. cultivated in a rustic aquaculture in southern Mexico. Eur J Protistol 2024; 95:126092. [PMID: 38943775 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2024.126092] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Rustic aquaculture systems represent a sustainable production alternative in the world, providing appropriate conditions for the establishment of epibiotic ciliates on crayfish. However, the impact of epibiotic ciliates on the aquaculture production has been insufficiently studied hitherto. The objective of this work was to identify the epibiotic ciliates on the surface of the crayfish Procambarus (Austrocambarus) sp. and analyze whether there is any correlation between seasonality and environmental conditions in an artificial pond in Chiapas, Mexico. The crayfish were collected during dry and rainy seasons to investigate their ciliate epibionts. Some physical and chemical parameters of the sampled water were measured and correlation matrix analyses were applied to detect possible relationships between the presence of ciliates and environmental parameters. Thirteen species belonging to the subclasses Peritrichia and Suctoria were identified. Significant differences were found for some environmental parameters and species recorded in both seasons. The present data could help to better understand the relationship bewteen the epibiotic ciliate community on crayfish and some environmental parameters in aquaculture systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireya Ramírez-Ballesteros
- Dirección Ejecutiva de Investigación y Posgrado, Universidad Rosario Castellanos, Av. 506 s/n, San Juan de Aragón II Secc, Gustavo A. Madero, 07969 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Carlos Alberto Durán-Ramírez
- Laboratorio de Protozoología, Departamento de Biología Comparada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Rosaura Mayén-Estrada
- Laboratorio de Protozoología, Departamento de Biología Comparada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico.
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Weisse T, Pröschold T, Kammerlander B, Sonntag B, Schicker L. Numerical and Thermal Response of the Bacterivorous Ciliate Colpidium kleini, a Species Potentially at Risk of Extinction by Rising Water Temperatures. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2024; 87:89. [PMID: 38955821 PMCID: PMC11219425 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-024-02406-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
We investigated the food-dependent growth and thermal response of the freshwater ciliate Colpidium kleini using numerical response (NR) experiments. This bacterivorous ciliate occurs in lotic water and the pelagial of lakes and ponds. The C. kleini strain used in this work was isolated from a small alpine lake and identified by combining detailed morphological inspections with molecular phylogeny. Specific growth rates (rmax) were measured from 5 to 21 °C. The ciliate did not survive at 22 °C. The threshold bacterial food levels (0.3 - 2.2 × 106 bacterial cells mL-1) matched the bacterial abundance in the alpine lake from which C. kleini was isolated. The food threshold was notably lower than previously reported for C. kleini and two other Colpidium species. The threshold was similar to levels reported for oligotrich and choreotrich ciliates if expressed in terms of bacterial biomass (0.05 - 0.43 mg C L-1). From the NR results, we calculated physiological mortality rates at zero food concentration. The mean mortality (0.55 ± 0.17 d-1) of C. kleini was close to the mean estimate obtained for other planktonic ciliates that do not encyst. We used the data obtained by the NR experiments to fit a thermal performance curve (TPC). The TPC yielded a temperature optimum at 17.3 °C for C. kleini, a maximum upper thermal tolerance limit of 21.9 °C, and a thermal safety margin of 4.6 °C. We demonstrated that combining NR with TPC analysis is a powerful tool to predict better a species' fitness in response to temperature and food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Weisse
- Research Department for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Mondsee, Austria.
| | - Thomas Pröschold
- Research Department for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Mondsee, Austria
| | - Barbara Kammerlander
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- Federal Agency for Water Management, Institute for Aquatic Ecology and Fisheries Management, Mondsee, Austria
| | - Bettina Sonntag
- Research Department for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Mondsee, Austria
| | - Laura Schicker
- Research Department for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Mondsee, Austria
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6
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Pomahač O, Méndez-Sánchez D, Čepička I. Bit by bit toward the diversity of metopids: Description of the genus Pidimetopus n. gen. (Ciliophora: Armophorea). J Eukaryot Microbiol 2024; 71:e13034. [PMID: 38822648 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.13034] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
While metopids (Armophorea: Metopida) represent the most species-rich group of free-living anaerobic ciliates thriving in hypoxic environments, our understanding of their true diversity remains incomplete. Most metopid species are still characterized only morphologically. Particularly, the so-called IAC clade (named in the past after some of the taxa included, Idiometopus, Atopospira, and Clevelandellida), comprising free-living members as well as the endosymbiotic ones (order Clevelandellida), is in serious need of revision. In our study, we establish a new free-living genus in the IAC clade, Pidimetopus n. gen., with descriptions of two new species, P. nanus n. sp., and P. permonicus n. sp., using up-to-date molecular and morphologic methods. The genus is characterized by small cells (up to 75 μm long), not more than 10 adoral membranelles and eight somatic kineties, and usually, four long caudal cilia that can stiffen. In addition to morphologic and molecular characterizations, we also conducted a statistical morphotype analysis of the polymorphic species P. nanus n. sp. We discuss the relevance of the earlier morphologically described species Metopus minor as a putative collective taxon for several small metopids less than 50 μm long.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Pomahač
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Méndez-Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Čepička
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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7
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Campello-Nunes PH, da Silva-Neto ID, da S Paiva T, Soares CAG, Fernandes NM. Ciliate diversity in rodrigo de freitas lagoon (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) from an integrative standpoint. Braz J Microbiol 2024; 55:1489-1505. [PMID: 38401009 PMCID: PMC11153468 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-024-01291-4] [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: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon is a highly eutrophic lacustrine system and has one of the longest histories of exploration and anthropic alteration in Brazil. Despite its relevance, limited studies explored the diversity of micro-eukaryotes in the lagoon. Ciliates (Alveolata, Ciliophora) are overlooked in environmental microbiology, especially in tropical and subtropical ecosystems, resulting in limited knowledge about their diversity and functional relevance in South American habitats, particularly in coastal lagoons. To fill this gap, here we investigated the diversity of ciliates in a brackish coastal lagoon in an urban area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, applying and comparing the performance of morphological and metabarcoding approaches. The metabarcoding analysis, based on high-throughput sequencing of the hipervariable region V4 of the 18S rRNA genes detected 37 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) assigned to Ciliophora, representing only about a half (56.9%) of the diversity detected by microscopy, which counted 65 ciliate morphotypes. The most representative classes in both approaches were Spirotrichea and Oligohymenophorea. The metabarcoding analysis revealed that 35.3% of the ciliate MOTUs had less than 97% similarity to available sequences in the NCBI database, indicating that more than one-third of these MOTUs potentially represents still not represented or undescribed ciliate species in current databases. Our findings indicate that metabarcoding techniques can significantly enhance the comprehension of ciliate diversity in tropical environments, but the scarcity of reference sequences of brackish ciliates in molecular databases represents a challenge to the taxonomic assignment of the MOTUs. This study provides new insights into the diversity of ciliates in a threatened coastal lagoon, revealing a vast array of still unknown and rare ciliate taxonomic units in tropical environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro H Campello-Nunes
- Laboratório de Protistologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Inácio D da Silva-Neto
- Laboratório de Protistologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Thiago da S Paiva
- Laboratório de Protistologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos A G Soares
- Laboratório de Genética Molecular de Eucariontes E Simbiontes, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Noemi M Fernandes
- Laboratório de Protistologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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8
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Shimada M, Hayakawa MM, Suzaki T, Ishida H. Morphological reconstruction during cell regeneration in the ciliate Spirostomum ambiguum. Eur J Protistol 2024; 94:126079. [PMID: 38593565 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2024.126079] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
When the ciliate Spirostomum ambiguum is transected into two pieces, both fragments regenerate and proliferate. In the anterior fragments, which have lost their contractile vacuoles due to transection, new contractile vacuoles were formed at their posterior ends in a few minutes. When the cells were cut into three pieces, new contractile vacuoles were formed in the anterior and middle fragments, both at their posterior ends. Thus, the anterior-posterior axis of S. ambiguum was maintained after transection. Morphological repair, including the formation of the contractile vacuole, was also observed when only the anteriormost portion was transected to cut out a small fragment that did not contain part of the macronucleus. Scanning electron microscopy was performed to observe changes in the shape of the cleavage surface of S. ambiguum during the wound healing process. Within minutes after cutting, the cut surface was covered with a cilia-free membrane, preventing leakage of cytoplasmic contents. The surface of the cut area then rounded with time and was covered with cilia, completing the repair of the cut area in about one day.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maho Shimada
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Shimane University, 1060 Nishikawatsu-cho, Matsue 690-8504, Japan
| | - Masashi M Hayakawa
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, 1-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Toshinobu Suzaki
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Hideki Ishida
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Shimane University, 1060 Nishikawatsu-cho, Matsue 690-8504, Japan.
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Kendlbacher V, Winter TMR, Bright M. Zoothamnium mariella sp. nov., a marine, colonial ciliate with an atypcial growth pattern, and its ectosymbiont Candidatus Fusimicrobium zoothamnicola gen. nov., sp. nov. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300758. [PMID: 38557976 PMCID: PMC10984469 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Ciliates are unicellular eukaryotes, regularly involved in symbiotic associations. Symbionts may colonize the inside of their cells as well as their surface as ectosymbionts. Here, we report on a new ciliate species, designated as Zoothamnium mariella sp. nov. (Peritrichia, Sessilida), discovered in the northern Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea) in 2021. We found this ciliate species to be monospecifically associated with a new genus of ectosymbiotic bacteria, here proposed as Candidatus Fusimicrobium zoothamnicola gen. nov., sp. nov. To formally describe the new ciliate species, we investigated its morphology and sequenced its 18S rRNA gene. To demonstrate its association with a single species of bacterial ectosymbiont, we performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and scanning electron microscopy. Additionally, we explored the two partners' cultivation requirements and ecology. Z. mariella sp. nov. was characterized by a colony length of up to 1 mm. A consistent number of either seven or eight long branches alternated on the stalk in close distance to each other. The colony developed three different types of zooids: microzooids ("trophic stage"), macrozooids ("telotroch stage"), and terminal zooids ("dividing stage"). Viewed from inside the cell, the microzooids' oral ciliature ran in 1 ¼ turns in a clockwise direction around the peristomial disc before entering the infundibulum, where it performed another ¾ turn. Phylogenetic analyses assigned Z. mariella sp. nov. to clade II of the family Zoothamnidae. The ectosymbiont formed a monophyletic clade within the Gammaproteobacteria along with two other ectosymbionts of peritrichous ciliates and a free-living vent bacterium. It colonized the entire surface of its ciliate host, except for the most basal stalk of large colonies, and exhibited a single, spindle-shaped morphotype. Furthermore, the two partners together appear to be generalists of temperate, oxic, marine shallow-water environments and were collectively cultivable in steady flow-through systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Kendlbacher
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Monika Bright
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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10
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Choi JH, Omar A, Jung JH. Redescription and molecular phylogeny of Trochilia sigmoides Dujardin, 1841 (Ciliophora, Cyrtophoria) collected from South Korea. Eur J Protistol 2024; 93:126067. [PMID: 38447247 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2024.126067] [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: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
During a survey of Korean marine ciliates, Trochilia sigmoides, the type species of the genus Trochilia, was collected and examined using in vivo observation and protargol impregnation. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy and 18S rRNA gene sequencing have been applied for the first time to study this species. Morphologically, T. sigmoides is characterized by the small body size, the oval body outline, and the spiral dorsal ridges. The Korean population of T. sigmoides shows only minute differences to other populations reported in the literature, mainly in body size and the number of dorsal ridges. Phylogenetic analyses based on 18S rRNA gene sequences show that T. sigmoides and T. petrani are placed together with two members of the family Kyaroikeidae, causing the family Dysteriidae to be non-monophyletic. The present new data increase the knowledge about the morphology and phylogeny of the genus Trochilia and would assist in understanding the phylogenetic relationship between the free-living Dysteriidae and the parasitic Kyaroikeidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hye Choi
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, South Korea
| | - Atef Omar
- Natural Science Research Institute, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, South Korea
| | - Jae-Ho Jung
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, South Korea.
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11
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Foučková M, Uhrová K, Kubánková A, Pánek T, Čepička I. Lighting lantern above Psalteriomonadidae: Unveiling novel diversity within the genus Psalteriomonas (Discoba: Heterolobosea). Eur J Protistol 2024; 93:126052. [PMID: 38302295 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2024.126052] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Psalteriomonadidae are a small family of anaerobic free-living protists belonging to Heterolobosea, Discoba. We cultured 74 new strains of mostly amoeboid Psalteriomonadidae obtained from mainly freshwater habitats and sequenced their 18S rRNA gene. Based on the phylogenetic analysis and genetic distances, we report multiple novel species, four of which we formally describe based on the light-microscopic morphology (Psalteriomonas minuta, P. australis, P. fimbriata, and P. parva). We also examined the ultrastructure of two Psalteriomonas species using transmission electron microscopy. We transfer Sawyeria marylandensis into the genus Psalteriomonas and synonymize Sawyeria with Psalteriomonas. In addition, we studied the flagellate stage of P. marylandensis comb. nov. for the first time, using light and scanning electron microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Foučková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Kristýna Uhrová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Aneta Kubánková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Pánek
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Čepička
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic.
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12
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Omar A, Moon JH, Jung JH. Morphology and molecular phylogeny of two hypotrichous ciliates (Ciliophora, Spirotrichea) from South Korea, including Hemiurosomoida koreana n. sp. Eur J Protistol 2024; 92:126045. [PMID: 38100885 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2023.126045] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The living morphology, infraciliature, and molecular phylogeny of a new soil ciliate, Hemiurosomoida koreana n. sp., discovered in a sample collected from a mountain in the northeast of South Korea, were investigated. The new species possesses the characteristics of the genus Hemiurosomoida, i.e., a reduced number of frontal-ventral-transverse cirri, three dorsal kineties of which kineties 1 and 2 each bears a caudal cirrus, and a single dorsomarginal kinety. It is distinguishable from congeners and other similar species by at least one distinct qualitative or quantitative character including the body size, the presence and arrangement of cortical granules, the number of adoral membranelles, marginal cirri, and dorsal dikinetids, or by the arrangement of transverse cirri. Phylogenetic analyses based on 18S rRNA gene sequences also support the assignment of the new species to the non-monophyletic genus Hemiurosomoida. In addition, the living morphology, infraciliature, and the 18S rRNA gene sequence of a Korean population of Nothoholosticha flava were studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atef Omar
- Natural Science Research Institute, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, South Korea.
| | - Ji Hye Moon
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, South Korea
| | - Jae-Ho Jung
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, South Korea.
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Choi JH, Omar A, Jung JH. Morphology, morphogenesis, and molecular phylogeny of Aspidisca koreana n. sp. (Ciliophora, Euplotida) from South Korea. Eur J Protistol 2024; 92:126037. [PMID: 38100886 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2023.126037] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The morphology, morphogenesis, and molecular phylogeny of a new ciliate, Aspidisca koreana n. sp., discovered in the eastern coast of South Korea, were investigated. The morphological description is based on the observation of living cells, 4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and silver-stained specimens (e.g., protargol, silver nitrate), and scanning electron micrographs. The new species is characterized by having a small body size (17-25 × 15-18 μm in vivo), a distinct peristomial spur on the posterior portion of left margin, seven frontoventral cirri in "polystyla-arrangement", and the arrangement of the anterior portion of adoral zone of membranelles, i.e., anteriormost membranelle is distinctly separated from the other three membranelles. The morphogenesis follows the typical pattern of this genus. Phylogenetic analyses, using the 18S rDNA sequence, also support the establishment of a new species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hye Choi
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, South Korea
| | - Atef Omar
- Natural Science Research Institute, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, South Korea
| | - Jae-Ho Jung
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, South Korea.
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14
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Zhang T, Vďačný P. Deciphering phylogenetic relationships of and delimiting species boundaries within the controversial ciliate genus Conchophthirus using an integrative morpho-evo approach. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 190:107931. [PMID: 37742881 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107931] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The phylum Ciliophora (ciliates) comprises about 2600 symbiotic and over 5500 free-living species. The inclusion of symbiotic ciliates in phylogenetic analyses often challenges traditional classification frameworks due to their morphological adaptions to the symbiotic lifestyle. Conchophthirus is such a controversial obligate endocommensal genus whose affinities to other symbiotic and free-living scuticociliates are still poorly understood. Using uni- and multivariate morphometrics as well as 2D-based molecular and phylogenetic analyses, we attempted to test for the monophyly of Conchophthirus, study the boundaries of Conchophthirus species isolated from various bivalves at mesoscale, and reveal the phylogenetic relationships of Conchophthirus to other scuticociliates. Multidimensional analyses of morphometric and cell geometric data generated the same homogenous clusters, as did phylogenetic analyses based on 144 new sequences of two mitochondrial and five nuclear molecular markers. Conchophthirus is not closely related to 'core' scuticociliates represented by the orders Pleuronematida and Philasterida, as assumed in the past using morphological data. Nuclear and mitochondrial markers consistently showed the free-living Dexiotricha and the mouthless endosymbiotic Haptophrya to be the nearest relatives of Conchophthirus. These three highly morphologically and ecologically dissimilar genera represent an orphan clade from the early radiation of scuticociliates in molecular phylogenies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengyue Zhang
- Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovak Republic; Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Peter Vďačný
- Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
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15
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Lian C, Zhao Y, Li P, Zhang T, Al-Rasheid KAS, Stover NA, Wang Y, Shao C. Three closely-related subclasses Phacodiniidia Small & Lynn, 1985, Protohypotrichia Shi et al., 1999, and Euplotia Jankowski, 1979 (Protista, Ciliophora): A new contribution to their phylogeny with reconsiderations on the evolutionary hypotheses. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 189:107936. [PMID: 37778530 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107936] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
The huge variety of species and worldwide distribution of ciliated protists in class Spirotrichea continue to make it one of the most complicated and confused groups in Ciliophora, despite significant research interest in the unique molecular genetics of these organisms. In this study, the morphological and molecular information were integrated, and it is inferred from a new perspective for the evolutionary relationship among Phacodiniidia, Protohypotrichia, Hypotrichia and Euplotia. Our results indicate that Kiitricha and Caryotricha, two members in Protohypotrichia, may represent two parallel branches of evolution; Euplotidae and Aspidiscidae represent the most recently diverged taxa within Euplotida, followed by Certesiidae, Gastrocirrhidae, and Uronychidae. Further, representative morphological characters (e.g. fronto-ventral-transverse cirral anlagen, undulating membranes, marginal cirri and caudal cirri) were stochastically mapped on phylogenies to speculate evolutionary path and morphological characters of the evolutionary transition node groups were assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyu Lian
- Laboratory of Protozoological Biodiversity and Evolution in Wetland, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Ping Li
- Powerchina Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited, Xi'an 710065, China
| | - Tengteng Zhang
- Laboratory of Protozoological Biodiversity and Evolution in Wetland, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
| | - Khaled A S Al-Rasheid
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Naomi A Stover
- Department of Biology, Bradley University, Peoria 61625, USA
| | - Yurui Wang
- Laboratory of Protozoological Biodiversity and Evolution in Wetland, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China.
| | - Chen Shao
- Laboratory of Protozoological Biodiversity and Evolution in Wetland, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China.
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16
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Câmara PEAS, de Menezes GCA, Lopes FAC, da Silva Paiva T, Carvalho-Silva M, Convey P, Amorim ET, Rosa LH. Investigating non-fungal eukaryotic diversity in snow in the Antarctic Peninsula region using DNA metabarcoding. Extremophiles 2023; 28:3. [PMID: 37962679 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-023-01322-2] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Snow is a unique microhabitat, despite being a harsh environment, multiple life forms have adapted to survive in it. While algae, bacteria and fungi are dominant microorganisms in Antarctic snow, little is known about other organisms that may be present in this habitat. We used metabarcoding to investigate DNA sequence diversity of non-fungal eukaryotes present in snow obtained from six different sites across the Maritime Antarctica. A total of 20 taxa were assigned to obtained sequences, representing five Kingdoms (Chromista, Protozoa, Viridiplantae and Metazoa) and four phyla (Ciliophora, Cercozoa, Chlorophyta and Cnidaria). The highest diversity indices were detected in Trinity Peninsula followed by Robert Island, Arctowski Peninsula, Deception Island, King George Island and Snow Island. The most abundant assignments were to Trebouxiophyceae, followed by Chlamydomonas nivalis and Chlamidomonadales. No taxa were detected at all sites. Three potentially new records for Antarctica were detected: two Ciliophora (Aspidisca magna and Stokesia sp.) and the green algae Trebouxia potteri. Our data suggested that similarities found between the sites may be more related with snow physicochemical properties rather than geographic proximity or latitude. This study provides new insights into the diversity and distribution of eukaryotic organisms in Antarctic snow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo E A S Câmara
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, 70910-900, Brasil.
- Algas E Plantas, Pós Graduação Em Fungos, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianoplis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
| | - Graciéle C A de Menezes
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brasil
| | - Fabyano A C Lopes
- Laboratório de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal Do Tocantins, Porto Nacional, Brazil
| | - Thiago da Silva Paiva
- Laboratório de Protistologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Peter Convey
- British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
- Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa
- Biodiversity of Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Santiago, Chile
| | - Eduardo T Amorim
- Centro Nacional de Conservação da Flora/Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico Do Rio de Janeiro (CNCFlora/JBRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luiz H Rosa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brasil
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Barmshuri M, Pomahač O, Bourland W. Enchelyothrix muria n. gen, n. sp., (Ciliophora, Litostomatea, Spathidiida), an extreme halotroph spathidiid from Maharloo Lake, Iran. Eur J Protistol 2023; 90:126005. [PMID: 37480617 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2023.126005] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Although free-living ciliated protists (Ciliophora) commonly inhabit aquatic and terrestrial biotopes of mild to moderate salinity (PSS-practical salinity scale S = 10-150), very few have adapted to life at more extreme salinities (>150 to saturation). Such extreme halophiles or halotrophs are of interest from the standpoints of evolution, cell physiology, ecology, and even astrobiology. In this work, we present the morphology, 18S rRNA gene sequence, and phylogenetic analysis of a novel spathidiid ciliate (Ciliophora, Litosatomatea) that thrives in saturated brines of Maharloo Lake, Iran. Based on its unique combination of morphologic features, its molecular characterization, and its unusual ecology, it is assigned to a newly erected monotypic genus incertae sedis in order Spathidiida. The new species differs from other spathidiids by: a cell with a very short acutely pointed tail, the absence of a circumoral kinety with, instead, inclined, interrupted circumoral kinetofragments at the anterior end of somatic kineties and brush rows abutting the oral bulge, the absence of a contractile vacuole, a heteromorphic dorsal brush comprising five or six rows, and an extreme (at or near saturation) hypersaline habitat. We briefly discuss the persistent uncertainties regarding the phylogenetic relationships within the order Spathidiida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahnaz Barmshuri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ondřej Pomahač
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - William Bourland
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
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18
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Poláková K, Bourland WA, Čepička I. Anaerocyclidiidae fam. nov. (Oligohymenophorea, Scuticociliatia): A newly recognized major lineage of anaerobic ciliates hosting prokaryotic symbionts. Eur J Protistol 2023; 90:126009. [PMID: 37562169 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2023.126009] [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: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
The research on anaerobic ciliates, to date, has mainly been focused on representatives of obligately anaerobic classes such as Armophorea or Plagiopylea. In this study, we focus on the anaerobic representatives of the subclass Scuticociliatia, members of the class Oligohymenophorea, which is mainly composed of aerobic ciliates. Until now, only a single anaerobic species, Cyclidium porcatum (here transferred to the genus Anaerocyclidium gen. nov.), has been described both molecularly and morphologically. Our broad sampling of anoxic sediments together with cultivation and single cell sequencing approaches have shown that scuticociliates are common and diversified in anoxic environments. Our results show that anaerobic scuticociliates represent a distinctive evolutionary lineage not closely related to the family Cyclidiidae (order Pleuronematida), as previously suggested. However, the phylogenetic position of the newly recognized lineage within the subclass Scuticociliatia remains unresolved. Based on molecular and morphological data, we establish the family Anaerocyclidiidae fam. nov. to accommodate members of this clade. We further provide detailed morphological descriptions and 18S rRNA gene sequences for six new Anaerocyclidium species and significantly broaden the described diversity of anaerobic scuticociliates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateřina Poláková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - William A Bourland
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Čepička
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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19
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Wu T, Cheng T, Cao X, Jiang Y, Al-Rasheid KAS, Warren A, Wang Z, Lu B. On four epibiotic peritrichous ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora) found in Lake Weishan Wetland: morphological and molecular data support the establishment of a new genus, Parapiosoma gen. nov., and two new species. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 5:337-358. [PMID: 37637257 PMCID: PMC10449748 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-023-00184-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
During a study on the diversity of ciliated protists in Lake Weishan Wetland, the largest wetland in northern China, four epibiotic sessilid peritrichs were isolated from aquatic host animals. Two of them, i.e., Epistylis cambari Kellicott, 1885 and Epistylis lwoffi Fauré-Fremiet, 1943, were known species whereas the other two, i.e., Parapiosoma typicum gen. nov., sp. nov. and Orborhabdostyla gracilis sp. nov., are new to science. The new genus Parapiosoma gen. nov. is characterized by its branched non-contractile stalk, everted peristomial lip, obconical macronucleus and transverse silverlines. Two species are assigned to the new genus, namely Parapiosoma typicum sp. nov. and Parapiosoma gasterostei (Fauré-Fremiet, 1905) comb. nov. Morphologically, P. typicum sp. nov. is recognized by its goblet-shaped zooids, single-layered peristomial lip, dichotomously branched stalk, and infundibular polykinety 3 (P3) containing three equal-length rows. Orborhabdostyla gracilis sp. nov. is characterized by its slender zooid, curved macronucleus, and three equal-length rows in infundibular P3. Improved diagnoses and redescriptions of E. cambari and E. lwoffi are provided including, for the first time, data on the ciliature of E. cambari. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA, ITS1-5.8S rDNA -ITS2, and LSU rDNA sequence data strongly support the assertion that the family Epistylididae comprises morphospecies with different evolutionary lineages and indicate that Parapiosoma gen. nov. may represent a new taxon at family level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wu
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209 China
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Ting Cheng
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Xiao Cao
- Weishan Fishery Development Service Center, Jining, 277600 China
| | - Yaohan Jiang
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | | | - Alan Warren
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD UK
| | - Zhe Wang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209 China
| | - Borong Lu
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
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20
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Romano F, Pitta P, John U. Community dynamics and co-occurrence relationships of pelagic ciliates and their potential prey at a coastal and an offshore station in the ultra-oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Front Genet 2023; 14:1219085. [PMID: 37547468 PMCID: PMC10400710 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1219085] [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: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ciliates have been recognized as one of the major components of the microbial food web, especially in ultra-oligotrophic waters, such as the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, where nutrients are scarce and the microbial community is dominated by pico- and nano-sized organisms. For this reason, ciliates play an important role in these ecosystems since they are the main planktonic grazers. Regardless the importance of these organisms, little is known about the community structure of heterotrophic and mixotrophic ciliates and how they are associated to their potential prey. In this study, we used 18S V4 rRNA gene metabarcoding to analyze ciliate community dynamics and how the relationship with potential prey changes according to different seasons and depths. Samples were collected seasonally at two stations of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (HCB: coastal, M3A: offshore) from the surface and deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) layers. The ciliate community structure varied across depths in HCB and across seasons in M3A, and the network analysis showed that in both stations, mixotrophic oligotrichs were positively associated with diatoms and showed few negative associations with ASVs annotated as marine Stramenopiles (MAST). On the other hand, heterotrophic tintinnids showed negative relationships in both HCB and M3A stations, mostly with Ochrophyta and Chlorophyta. These results showed, in first place that, although the two stations are close to each other, the ciliate dynamics differed between them. Moreover, mixotrophic and heterotrophic ciliates may have different ecological niches since mixotrophic ciliates may be more selective compared to heterotrophic species regarding their prey. These findings are the first glimpse into an understanding of the dynamics between heterotrophic and mixotrophic ciliates and their role in microbial assemblages and dynamics of ultra-oligotrophic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filomena Romano
- Marine Biological Section, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Paraskevi Pitta
- Marine Biological Section, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Uwe John
- Ecological Chemistry, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB), Oldenburg, Germany
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21
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Zhang G, Li Y, Gong R, Qiao Y, Al-Farraj SA, Pan H, Wang Z, Hines HN. Taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of pleurostomatid ciliates from China with a description of two new species. Protist 2023; 174:125975. [PMID: 37453254 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2023.125975] [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: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
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 a result of these studies, we provide the morphological descriptions of two new species. Pseudoamphileptus apomacrostoma sp. nov., a new ectocommensal species, is characterized by the broadly oval cell shape, numerous scattered contractile vacuoles, and unique densely bounded extrusomes; Amphileptus qingdaoensis sp. nov., a marine form, is characterized by possessing oblong extrusomes with a conical anterior end, a single contractile vacuole and 5-7 left and 18-23 right kineties. In addition, a new population of Amphileptus orientalis Zhang et al., 2022, a freshwater representative, was documented and an improved diagnosis is provided. The phylogenetic analyses based on the SSU rDNA sequences imply that the genus Pseudoamphileptus is monophyletic whereas the genus Amphileptus is paraphyletic. The new molecular sequences presented here further support the establishment of two new species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongaote Zhang
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Yuan Li
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Ruitao Gong
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Yu Qiao
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Saleh A Al-Farraj
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hongbo Pan
- Engineering Research Center of Environmental DNA and Ecological Water Health Assessment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
| | - Zhe Wang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China.
| | - Hunter N Hines
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, 34946, USA
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22
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Zheng W, Zheng X, Wu Y, Lv S, Ge C, Wang X, Wang Q, Cui J, Ren N, Chen Y. Diversity Temporal-Spatial Dynamics of Potato Rhizosphere Ciliates and Contribution to Nitrogen- and Carbon-Derived Nutrition in North-East China. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2260. [PMID: 37375886 DOI: 10.3390/plants12122260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Ciliates are an important component of the rhizosphere microorganism community, but their nutritional contribution to plants has not been fully revealed. In this paper, we investigated the rhizosphere ciliate community of potatoes during six growth stages, illustrated the spatial-temporal dynamics of composition and diversity, and analyzed the correlation between soil physicochemical properties. The contributions of ciliates to the carbon- and nitrogen-derived nutrition of potatoes were calculated. Fifteen species of ciliates were identified, with higher diversity in the top soil, which increased as the potatoes grew, while they were more abundant in the deep soil, and the number decreased as the potatoes grew. The highest number of species of ciliates appeared in July (seedling stage). Among the five core species of ciliates, Colpoda sp. was the dominant species in all six growth stages. Multiple physicochemical properties affected the rhizosphere ciliate community, with ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) and the soil water content (SWC) greatly influencing ciliate abundance. The key correlation factors of ciliates diversity were NH4+-N, available phosphorus (AP), and soil organic matter (SOM). The annual average contribution rates of carbon and nitrogen by rhizosphere ciliates to potatoes were 30.57% and 23.31%, respectively, with the highest C/N contribution rates reaching 94.36% and 72.29% in the seedling stage. This study established a method for estimating the contributions of carbon and nitrogen by ciliates to crops and found that ciliates could be potential organic fertilizer organisms. These results might be used to improve water and nitrogen management in potato cultivation and promote ecological agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weibin Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity of Aquatic Organisms, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiaodan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity of Aquatic Organisms, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuqing Wu
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity of Aquatic Organisms, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Shaoyang Lv
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity of Aquatic Organisms, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Chang Ge
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity of Aquatic Organisms, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity of Aquatic Organisms, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qiuhong Wang
- Crop Academy, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Jingjing Cui
- Crop Academy, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Nanqi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Key Laboratory of Biodiversity of Aquatic Organisms, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
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23
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Omar A, Jang SW, Jung JH. Polymorphism, gigantism, and cannibalism, one stylonychid ciliate (Ciliophora, Hypotricha) to rule them all. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1159634. [PMID: 37266009 PMCID: PMC10229871 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1159634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The morphology, ontogenesis, and molecular phylogeny of the polymorphic and cannibalistic giant forming Tetmemena polymorpha n. sp., found in a brackish water sample in South Korea, were investigated. The present species has long been misidentified as "Oxytricha bifaria." The new investigation shows that the species produces three morphologically different morphs. The small morph is bacterivorous and characterized by its small body size and slim body and it is found only in the stationary and decline phases of the culture. The large morph has a wide body, larger oral apparatus, and feeds on small eukaryotes such as yeast cells and small ciliates. It divides very quickly and produces the other two morphs and found in the exponential phase of the cultures. The giant morph is characterized by its huge body and oral apparatus. It feeds on the small morph cells of the same species and other ciliates, and occurs together with the small morph. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 18S rRNA gene sequences show that the new species is placed in a sister subclade to that containing other Tetmemena sequences. Moreover, Tetmemena indica Bharti et al., 2019 nov. stat. is raised to species level based on the differences in the cyst morphology and the dorsal ciliature to the authoritative Tetmemena pustulata population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atef Omar
- Natural Science Research Institute, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok Won Jang
- Protist Research Team, Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Ho Jung
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Republic of Korea
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24
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Pomahač O, Méndez-Sánchez D, Poláková K, Müller M, Solito MM, Bourland WA, Čepička I. Rediscovery of Remarkably Rare Anaerobic Tentaculiferous Ciliate Genera Legendrea and Dactylochlamys (Ciliophora: Litostomatea). BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12050707. [PMID: 37237521 DOI: 10.3390/biology12050707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Free-living anaerobic ciliates are of considerable interest from an ecological and an evolutionary standpoint. Extraordinary tentacle-bearing predatory lineages have evolved independently several times within the phylum Ciliophora, including two rarely encountered anaerobic litostomatean genera, Legendrea and Dactylochlamys. In this study, we significantly extend the morphological and phylogenetic characterization of these two poorly known groups of predatory ciliates. We provide the first phylogenetic analysis of the monotypic genus Dactylochlamys and the three valid species of Legendrea based on the 18S rRNA gene and ITS-28S rRNA gene sequences. Prior to this study, neither group had been studied using silver impregnation methods. We provide the first protargol-stained material and also a unique video material including documentation, for the first time, of the hunting and feeding behavior of a Legendrea species. We briefly discuss the identity of methanogenic archaeal and bacterial endosymbionts of both genera based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, and the importance of citizen science for ciliatology from a historical and contemporary perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Pomahač
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Méndez-Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Poláková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Michel-Marie Solito
- Hydrobiology, Hautes-Fagnes Scientific Station, University of Liege, Rue de Botrange 137, 4950 Robertville, Belgium
| | - William A Bourland
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Čepička
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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25
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Kišidayová S, Scholcová N, Mihaliková K, Váradyová Z, Pristaš P, Weisskopf S, Chrudimský T, Chroňáková A, Šimek M, Šustr V. Some Aspects of the Physiology of the Nyctotherus velox, a Commensal Ciliated Protozoon Taken from the Hindgut of the Tropical Millipede Archispirostreptus gigas. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13051110. [PMID: 37240755 DOI: 10.3390/life13051110] [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: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In this paper, the growth requirements, fermentation pattern, and hydrolytic enzymatic activities of anaerobic ciliates collected from the hindgut of the African tropical millipede Archispirostreptus gigas are described. Single-cell molecular analysis showed that ciliates from the millipede hindgut could be assigned to the Nyctotherus velox and a new species named N. archispirostreptae n. sp. The ciliate N. velox can grow in vitro with unspecified prokaryotic populations and various plant polysaccharides (rice starch-RS, xylan, crystalline cellulose20-CC, carboxymethylcellulose-CMC, and inulin) or without polysaccharides (NoPOS) in complex reduced medium with soluble supplements (peptone, glucose, and vitamins). Specific catalytic activity (nkat/g of protein) of α amylase of 300, xylanase of 290, carboxymethylcellulase of 190, and inulinase of 170 was present in the crude protein extract of N. velox. The highest in vitro dry matter digestibility was observed in RS and inulin after 96 h of fermentation. The highest methane concentration was observed in xylan and inulin substrates. The highest short-chain fatty acid concentration was observed in RS, inulin, and xylan. In contrast, the highest ammonia concentration was observed in NoPOS, CMC, and CC. The results indicate that starch is the preferred substrate of the N. velox. Hydrolytic enzyme activities of N. velox showed that the ciliates contribute to the fermentation of plant polysaccharides in the gut of millipedes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Kišidayová
- Institute of Animal Physiology, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 040 00 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Nikola Scholcová
- Institute of Animal Physiology, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 040 00 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Katarína Mihaliková
- Institute of Animal Physiology, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 040 00 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Zora Váradyová
- Institute of Animal Physiology, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 040 00 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Peter Pristaš
- Institute of Animal Physiology, Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 040 00 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Stanislava Weisskopf
- Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Centre AS CR, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Chrudimský
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre AS CR, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Alica Chroňáková
- Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Centre AS CR, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslav Šimek
- Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Centre AS CR, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Šustr
- Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Centre AS CR, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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26
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Bourland W. Morphologic and molecular characterization of Apertospathula pilata n. sp., a novel freshwater spathidiid (Ciliophora, Litostomatea) from Idaho, USA. Eur J Protistol 2023; 89:125990. [PMID: 37207517 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2023.125990] [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: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Order Spathidiida Foissner and Foissner, 1988 comprises a large group of morphologically diverse, primarily predatory, free living ciliates, the phylogeny of which has remained stubbornly unresolved. Families Arcuospathidiidae and Apertospathulidae are two morphologically similar groups established on the basis of differences in the morphology of the oral bulge and circumoral kinety. While Arcuospathidiidae is non-monophyletic in 18S rRNA gene analyses, the Apertospathulidae has been represented by only a single Apertospathula sequence in public databases. In this report, a novel freshwater species, Apertospathula pilata n. sp. is described on the basis of living observation, silver impregnation, and scanning electron microscopy. The phylogeny of the new species is assessed based on the rRNA cistron. The main features distinguishing A. pilata n. sp. from all congeners are: the oral bulge extrusomes (filiform, up to 25 µm long), the combination of body size (130-193 µm) and shape (spatulate), the extensive oral bulge length (41% of the cell length after protargol impregnation), and multiple micronuclei (one to five, two on average). The monophyly of Apertospathulidae Foissner, Xu and Kreutz, 2005 is rejected.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Bourland
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
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27
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Rondello Bonatti T, Vidal Siqueira-Castro IC, Averaldo Guiguet Leal D, Durigan M, Pedroso Dias RJ, Bueno Franco RM. Molecular characterization of waterborne protozoa in surface water and sediment in Brazil: a taxonomic survey of ciliated protozoa and their correlation with Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:470. [PMID: 36922479 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11065-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The detection of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. was performed, along with the identification of the ciliated protozoa biodiversity, to evaluate the correlation between these protozoa in freshwater quality monitoring. Water and sediment samples from two sites in the Atibaia River (Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil) were collected monthly for 2 years (n = 96). Pathogenic protozoa in water and sediment were detected by using immunomagnetic separation, followed by visualization by immunofluorescence assay (IFA). All positive aliquots in IFA were subjected to DNA extraction and subsequently nested PCR. Qualitative (in vivo observation and silver impregnation) and quantitative (in vivo enumeration) analyses were performed for the ciliated protozoa. Giardia cysts were detected in 62.5% of the surface water samples and Cryptosporidium spp. in 25.0%. In the sediment, cysts were detected in 35.4% samples and oocysts in 16.6%. A total of 57 samples positive for Giardia cysts were subjected to sequencing, 40 of which were harboring G. duodenalis (24 were characterized as sub-assemblage AII). For ciliated protozoa, 73 taxa belonging to 53 genera were identified over the period of the study. These results revealed a high degree of contamination by waterborne protozoa in the main water source which supplies drinking water for more than one million people in Campinas (São Paulo), highlighting the need for continuous monitoring of this catchment site. In addition, the present study provides important data regarding the sources of the water body degradation, i.e., fecal contamination of human origin, in addition to the survey of the ciliated protozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taís Rondello Bonatti
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, PO Box: 6109, CEP: 13083-970, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Isabel Cristina Vidal Siqueira-Castro
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, PO Box: 6109, CEP: 13083-970, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Maurício Durigan
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, PO Box: 6109, CEP: 13083-970, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Regina Maura Bueno Franco
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, PO Box: 6109, CEP: 13083-970, São Paulo, Brazil
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28
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Lu X, Yu X, Burkovsky I, Esaulov A, Li X, Jiang Y, Mazei Y. Community assembly and co-occurrence network complexity of interstitial microbial communities in the Arctic (investigation of ciliates in the White Sea intertidal zone). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 188:114656. [PMID: 36731377 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Arctic coastal ecosystems play a major role in global environmental system and have been altered significantly by climate changes. To better understanding the response of marine coastal ecosystems towards rapid Arctic climate changes, we examined the variation in diversity and community structure and provided insights into the co-occurrence network and community assembly of interstitial ciliates in the Kandalaksha Gulf of the White Sea from 2009 to 2019. Co-occurrence networks analysis indicated considerably high ration of positive correlations within a community that indicated low competition between interstitial ciliate species. Furthermore, we found that contribution of stochastic processes to the ciliate community assembly was insignificant. Compare with earlier data from the same ecosystem obtained in 1980s-1990s, the role of competitive factors is decreasing, and communities are becoming more spatially and temporally homogeneous. This community simplification is likely due to the response of the entire intertidal ecosystem to global climate change in Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoteng Lu
- Department of Biology, Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, 1 International University Park Road, Shenzhen 518172, PR China
| | - Xiaowen Yu
- College of Marine Life Science & Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Igor Burkovsky
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1 Leninskiye Gory, 119899 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anton Esaulov
- Department of Biology, Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, 1 International University Park Road, Shenzhen 518172, PR China; Penza State University, Krasnaya street 40, 440026 Penza, Russia
| | - Xiaolei Li
- Department of Biology, Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, 1 International University Park Road, Shenzhen 518172, PR China; Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1 Leninskiye Gory, 119899 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yong Jiang
- College of Marine Life Science & Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
| | - Yuri Mazei
- Department of Biology, Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, 1 International University Park Road, Shenzhen 518172, PR China; Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1 Leninskiye Gory, 119899 Moscow, Russia; A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskiy Ave. 33, Moscow 117071, Russia
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29
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Méndez-Sánchez D, Pomahač O, Rotterová J, Bourland WA, Čepička I. Morphology and phylogenetic position of three anaerobic ciliates from the classes Odontostomatea and Muranotrichea (Ciliophora). J Eukaryot Microbiol 2023; 70:e12965. [PMID: 36727275 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The diversity of the classes Odontostomatea and Muranotrichea, which contain solely obligate anaerobes, is poorly understood. We studied two populations of Mylestoma sp., one of Saprodinium dentatum (Odontostomatea), two of Muranothrix felix sp. nov., and one of Muranothrix sp. (Muranotrichea) employing live observation, protargol impregnation, scanning electron microscopy, and 18S rRNA gene sequencing. Conspecificity of Mylestoma sp., described here, with a previously described species of this genus cannot be excluded since no species have been studied with modern methods. Phylogenetically, the genus Mylestoma is closely related to the odontostomatid Discomorphella pedroeneasi, although the phylogenetic position of class Odontostomatea itself remains unresolved. The newly described muranotrichean species, Muranothrix felix sp. nov., is morphologically similar to M. gubernata but can be distinguished by its fewer macronuclear nodules and fewer adoral membranelles; moreover, it is clearly distinguished from M. gubernata by its 18S rRNA gene sequence. Another population, designated here as Muranothrix sp., most likely represents a separate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Méndez-Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Pomahač
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Johana Rotterová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.,Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, Rhode Island, USA
| | - William A Bourland
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Čepička
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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30
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Lyu Z, Ma X, Su J, Hu F, Liu W, Zhao Y, Zhao X, Xing L. Morphology, morphogenesis and molecular phylogeny of Lamtostyla granulifera sinensis subsp. nov. (Ciliophora, Hypotrichia) from a wetland in China. Eur J Protistol 2023; 87:125938. [PMID: 36512884 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2022.125938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The morphology, morphogenesis and molecular phylogeny of a hypotrichous ciliate, Lamtostyla granulifera sinensis subsp. nov., isolated from northern China, were investigated. This population appeared highly similar in morphology to L. granulifera Foissner, 1997. However, on detailed investigation some non-overlapping features were identified, i.e., the body shape and the arrangement of the cortical granules. These differences suggested the separation at subspecies level. Furthermore, the morphogenesis of the new subspecies is described, which is characterized by: (1) the posterior part of the parental adoral zone of membranelles is renewed; (2) the amphisiellid median cirral row is formed from two anlagen; and (3) the frontoventral-transverse cirral anlagen II to VI generate one transverse cirrus each. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequence data show that Lamtostyla species are scattered in different clades. The monophyly of the genus Lamtostyla is also rejected by the AU test in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Lyu
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Xiaoqin Ma
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Jian Su
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Fangcheng Hu
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Wanjing Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Yuqing Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Xi Zhao
- Xijing University, Xi'an 710123, China
| | - Lianxi Xing
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
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31
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Radek R, Platt K, Öztas D, Šobotník J, Sillam-Dussès D, Hanus R, Brune A. New insights into the coevolutionary history of termites and their gut flagellates: Description of Retractinympha glossotermitis gen. nov. sp. nov. (Retractinymphidae fam. nov.). Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1111484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Lower termites harbor diverse consortia of symbiotic gut flagellates. Despite numerous evidence for co-cladogenesis, the evolutionary history of these associations remains unclear. Here, we present Retractinymphidae fam. nov., a monogeneric lineage of Trichonymphida from Serritermitidae. Although Retractinympha glossotermitis gen. nov. sp. nov. morphologically resembles members of the genus Pseudotrichonympha, phylogenetic analysis identified it as sister group of the Teranymphidae. We compared morphology and ultrastructure of R. glossotermitis to that of Pseudotrichonympha and other Teranymphidae, including the so-far undescribed Pseudotrichonympha solitaria sp. nov. from Termitogeton planus (Rhinotermitidae). Like all Teranymphidae, R. glossotermitis is a large, elongated flagellate with a bilaterally symmetric rostrum, an anterior, flagella-free operculum, and an internal rostral tube. However, it is readily distinguished by the length of its rostral flagella, which never exceeds that of the postrostral flagella, and its retractable anterior end. Inclusion of the hitherto unstudied Stylotermes halumicus (Stylotermitidae) in our survey of trichonymphid flagellates in Neoisoptera confirmed that the combined presence of Heliconympha and Retractinympha and absence of Pseudotrichonympha is unique to Serritermitidae. The close phylogenetic relatedness of Heliconympha in Serritermitidae to the spirotrichosomid flagellates in Stolotermitidae provides strong support for their acquisition by horizontal transmission.
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32
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Cinetochilides minimus sp. nov., a Tiny Benthic Ciliate (Protozoa, Ciliophora) from Brackish Water in Korea. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15010076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
During a field survey of Korean marine and brackish water ciliate diversity, we collected a tiny benthic ciliate (13–18 µm long in vivo) from the opening of a brackish water lagoon (10‰). At low magnification, it resembles members of the genus Aspidisca because of the oval body shape and the benthic life style, but is not thigmotactic. Based on the observations of living cells, silver-impregnated specimens (i.e., using protargol, silver carbonate, and wet silver nitrate), SEM images, and the 18S rRNA gene sequences, we confirmed that it is a new member of the genus Cinetochilides. The new species, C. minimus sp. nov., can be easily distinguished from other congeners mainly by the fragmented somatic kinety 1. In spite of the small size, the new species has more than 200 basal bodies, including those in the oral apparatus. The arrangement of the ciliary pattern is rather confusing because of the polymerized kinetids, the sparse basal bodies, the non-ciliated area on the dorsal side, and the presence of parasomal sacs next to the kinetosomes. In the present study, we provide a detailed morphological description and infer the phylogenetic position of Cinetochilides minimus sp. nov. based on 18S rRNA gene sequences.
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33
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Dirren-Pitsch G, Bühler D, Salcher MM, Bassin B, Le Moigne A, Schuler M, Pernthaler J, Posch T. FISHing for ciliates: Catalyzed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridization for the detection of planktonic freshwater ciliates. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1070232. [PMID: 36578568 PMCID: PMC9790926 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1070232] [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: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Planktonic ciliate species form multiple trophic guilds and are central components of freshwater food webs. Progress in molecular analytical tools has opened new insight into ciliate assemblages. However, high and variable 18S rDNA copy numbers, typical for ciliates, make reliable quantification by amplicon sequencing extremely difficult. For an exact determination of abundances, the classical morphology-based quantitative protargol staining is still the method of choice. Morphotype analyses, however, are time consuming and need specific taxonomic expertise. Catalyzed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridization (CARD-FISH) may represent a promising tool for the analysis of planktonic ciliates by combining molecular identification with microscopic quantification. We tested the applicability of CARD-FISH using nine cultured ciliate species. Eight species- and three genus-specific oligonucleotide probes were designed based on their 18S rRNA genes. The CARD-FISH protocol was adapted and the specificity of probes was established. We subsequently examined the precision of quantitation by CARD-FISH on single cultures and mock assemblages. Successful tests on lake water samples proved that planktonic ciliates could be identified and quantified in field samples by CARD-FISH. Double hybridizations allowed studying interspecific predator prey interactions between two ciliate species. In summary, we demonstrate that CARD-FISH with species-specific probes can facilitate studies on the population dynamics of closely related, small sized or cryptic species at high sampling frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianna Dirren-Pitsch
- Limnological Station, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Kilchberg, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Bühler
- Limnological Station, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Kilchberg, Switzerland
| | - Michaela M. Salcher
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budĕjovice, Czechia
| | - Barbara Bassin
- Limnological Station, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Kilchberg, Switzerland
| | - Alizée Le Moigne
- Limnological Station, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Kilchberg, Switzerland
| | - Martina Schuler
- Limnological Station, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Kilchberg, Switzerland
| | - Jakob Pernthaler
- Limnological Station, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Kilchberg, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Posch
- Limnological Station, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Kilchberg, Switzerland
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34
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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] [Grants] [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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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Peter Vďačný
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Wang Z, Feng X, Li L, Al-Rasheid KAS, Warren A, Wang C, Gu Z. New considerations on the phylogeny of Sessilida (Protista: Ciliophora: Peritrichia) based on multiple-gene information, with emphasis on colonial taxa. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 4:569-583. [PMID: 37078081 PMCID: PMC10077168 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-022-00155-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The subclass Peritrichia, containing two orders Sessilida and Mobilida, is a major group of ciliates with worldwide distribution and high species diversity. Several studies have investigated the phylogeny of peritrichs; however, the evolutionary relationships and classification of some families and genera within the Sessilida remain unclear. In the present study, we isolated and identified 22 peritrich populations representing four families and six genera and obtained 64 rDNA sequences to perform phylogenetic analyses and assess their systematic relationships. Ancestral character reconstruction was also carried out to infer evolutionary routes within the Sessilida. The results indicate: (1) family Vaginicolidae is monophyletic and acquisition of the typical peritrich lorica represents a single evolutionary divergence; (2) core epistylidids evolved from a Zoothamnium-like ancestor and experienced spasmoneme loss during evolution; (3) Campanella clusters with species in the basal clade and shows stable morphological differences with other epistylidids, supporting its assignment to a separate family; (4) the structure of the peristomial lip may be a genus-level character rather than a diagnostic character for discriminating Epistylididae and Operculariidae, thus a redefinition of Operculariidae should be carried out when more species have been investigated; (5) some characters, such as lifestyle (solitary or colonial), spasmoneme and living habit (sessile or free-swimming), evolved repeatedly among sessilids indicating that species with non-contractile stalks or that are free-swimming have multiple evolutionary routes and might derive from any sessilid lineage without a lorica. The close phylogenetic relationships of some morphologically distinct sessilids imply that the diagnoses of some genera and families should be improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Wang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209 China
- College of Fisheries/Shuangshui Shuanglü Institute, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070 China
| | - Xiaoting Feng
- College of Fisheries/Shuangshui Shuanglü Institute, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070 China
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center for Aquatic Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Wuhan, 430070 China
| | - Lifang Li
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209 China
| | | | - Alan Warren
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD UK
| | - Chundi Wang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209 China
| | - Zemao Gu
- College of Fisheries/Shuangshui Shuanglü Institute, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070 China
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center for Aquatic Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Wuhan, 430070 China
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Chae KS, Jung JH, Min GS. Morphology and molecular phylogeny of Keronopsis koreana n. sp. (Ciliophora, Hypotricha), a new soil species from South Korea. Eur J Protistol 2022; 86:125939. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2022.125939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Zhang G, Sheng Y, Liu Y, Cao X, Al-Farraj SA, Vďačný P, Pan H. Integrative studies on three new freshwater Amphileptus species (Ciliophora, Pleurostomatida) discovered in northern China. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 4:452-470. [PMID: 37078086 PMCID: PMC10077290 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-022-00143-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The morphology and molecular phylogeny of freshwater pleurostomatid ciliates are insufficiently explored. In the present study, we investigated three new Amphileptus species discovered in Lake Weishan and its vicinity, northern China, using standard alpha-taxonomic methods. Amphileptus paracarchesii sp. nov. is characterized by a lateral fossa (groove) in the posterior body portion, four macronuclear nodules, contractile vacuoles distributed along the dorsal margin, and 4-6 left and 44-50 right somatic kineties. Amphileptus pilosus sp. nov. differs from congeners by having 4-14 macronuclear nodules, numerous contractile vacuoles scattered throughout the cytoplasm, and 22-31 left and 35-42 right somatic kineties. Amphileptus orientalis sp. nov. is characterized by two ellipsoidal macronuclear nodules, three ventral contractile vacuoles, and about four left and 31-35 right somatic kineties. Phylogenetic analyses of nuclear small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) sequences indicate that the family Amphileptidae might be monophyletic while the genus Amphileptus is paraphyletic, as Pseudoamphileptus macrostoma robustly groups with Amphileptus sp. Although deep phylogenetic relationships of amphileptids are poorly resolved, multiple well-delimited species groups are recognizable within the genus Amphileptus. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-022-00143-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongaote Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Environmental DNA and Ecological Water Health Assessment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306 China
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Yalan Sheng
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631 China
| | - Yujie Liu
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003 China
| | - Xiao Cao
- Weishan Fishery Development Service Center, Jining, 277600 China
| | - Saleh A. Al-Farraj
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451 Saudi Arabia
| | - Peter Vďačný
- Department of Zoology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, 84215 Slovakia
| | - Hongbo Pan
- Engineering Research Center of Environmental DNA and Ecological Water Health Assessment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306 China
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Spanner C, Darienko T, Filker S, Sonntag B, Pröschold T. Morphological diversity and molecular phylogeny of five Paramecium bursaria (Alveolata, Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea) syngens and the identification of their green algal endosymbionts. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18089. [PMID: 36302793 PMCID: PMC9613978 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22284-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Paramecium bursaria is a mixotrophic ciliate species, which is common in stagnant and slow-flowing, nutrient-rich waters. It is usually found living in symbiosis with zoochlorellae (green algae) of the genera Chlorella or Micractinium. We investigated P. bursaria isolates from around the world, some of which have already been extensively studied in various laboratories, but whose morphological and genetic identity has not yet been completely clarified. Phylogenetic analyses of the SSU and ITS rDNA sequences revealed five highly supported lineages, which corresponded to the syngen and most likely to the biological species assignment. These syngens R1-R5 could also be distinguished by unique synapomorphies in the secondary structures of the SSU and the ITS. Considering these synapomorphies, we could clearly assign the existing GenBank entries of P. bursaria to specific syngens. In addition, we discovered synapomorphies at amino acids of the COI gene for the identification of the syngens. Using the metadata of these entries, most syngens showed a worldwide distribution, however, the syngens R1 and R5 were only found in Europe. From morphology, the syngens did not show any significant deviations. The investigated strains had either Chlorella variabilis, Chlorella vulgaris or Micractinium conductrix as endosymbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Spanner
- Research Department for Limnology, Mondsee, University of Innsbruck, Mondsee, Austria
| | - Tatyana Darienko
- Research Department for Limnology, Mondsee, University of Innsbruck, Mondsee, Austria
- Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Department of Applied Bioinformatics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sabine Filker
- Molecular Ecology Group, Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Bettina Sonntag
- Research Department for Limnology, Mondsee, University of Innsbruck, Mondsee, Austria
| | - Thomas Pröschold
- Research Department for Limnology, Mondsee, University of Innsbruck, Mondsee, Austria.
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Diophrys pauciciliata n. sp. (Ciliophora, Euplotida), a new marine spirotrich ciliate with highly static morphometrics. Eur J Protistol 2022; 86:125937. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2022.125937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Yang H, Chen P, Chen L, Warren A, Ning Y. Morphology and morphogenesis of the hypotrich ciliate Parentocirrus hortualis , with notes on the phylogeny of Parentocirrus (Ciliophora, Hypotrichia). Eur J Protistol 2022; 86:125936. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2022.125936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Seah BKB, Emmerich C, Singh A, Swart EC. Improved Methods for Bulk Cultivation and Fixation of Loxodes Ciliates for Fluorescence Microscopy. Protist 2022; 173:125905. [PMID: 36027633 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2022.125905] [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: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
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 in bulk with liquid soil extract medium, as well as a new fixative called ZFAE (zinc sulfate, formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol) that can fix Loxodes cells more effectively than buffered formaldehyde or methanol. We show that ZFAE is compatible with immunofluorescence and the nuclear stain DAPI. Loxodes is thus now amenable to long-term maintenance, large-scale growth, and modern cell biology investigations of monoclonal strains in laboratory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christiane Emmerich
- Max Planck Institute for Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Aditi Singh
- Max Planck Institute for Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Estienne Carl Swart
- Max Planck Institute for Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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Ganser MH, Bartel H, Weißenbacher B, Andosch A, Lütz-Meindl U, Radacher P, Agatha S. A light and electron microscopical study on the resting cyst of the tintinnid Schmidingerella (Alveolata, Ciliophora) including a phylogeny-aware comparison. Eur J Protistol 2022; 86:125922. [PMID: 36155308 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2022.125922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Resting cysts protect ciliates against adverse environmental conditions. The morphology and ultrastructure of resting cysts has been described in very few Oligotrichea, a group of mainly marine planktonic ciliates. The present study provides the first ultrastructural data for loricate choreotrichids, applying light and electron microscopy on the cysts of the tintinnid Schmidingerella meunieri (Kofoid and Campbell, 1929) Agatha and Strüder-Kypke, 2012. The morphology of live cysts and the wall ultrastructure of cryofixed cysts were morphometrically analysed. The resting cyst is roughly flask-shaped, broadening to a slightly concave, laterally protruding anterior plate. An emergence pore closed by a skull cap-shaped papula is directed to the bottom of the lorica on the opposite side of the cyst. The cyst wall consists of an ectocyst, mesocyst, and endocyst differing in thickness, structure, and nitrogen concentration as revealed by conventional transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and electron spectroscopic imaging. The cysts of S. meunieri belong to the kinetosome-resorbing type, which also occurs in the majority of hypotrich ciliates. Two main features (flask-shape and presence of an emergence pore) are shared with the closely related aloricate choreotrichids and oligotrichids, distinguishing the Oligotrichea from the hypotrich and the more distantly related euplotid ciliates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian H Ganser
- Department of Environment & Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Heidi Bartel
- Department of Environment & Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Birgit Weißenbacher
- Department of Environment & Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Ancuela Andosch
- Department of Biosciences & Medical Biology, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Ursula Lütz-Meindl
- Department of Environment & Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; Department of Biosciences & Medical Biology, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Peter Radacher
- Department of Environment & Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Sabine Agatha
- Department of Environment & Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
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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 2022; 173:125909. [PMID: 36208492 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2022.125909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
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. nov. is characterized by its double-layered peristomial lip, contractile vacuole located on the dorsal wall of the infundibulum, infundibular polykinety 3 (P3) composed of three equal-length rows that terminate above infundibular polykinety 1 (P1), 50-62 silverlines between the peristome and the trochal band, and about 30 silverlines between the trochal band and the scopula. Based on previous and newly obtained data for E. daphniae and E. pygmaeum, improved diagnoses and redescriptions are provided including, for the first time, data on their infraciliature. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that all three species do not group within the major clade of Epistylis, supporting the assertion that the genus Epistylis should be an assemblage of morphospecies and therefore needs to be revised.
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Wang Z, Wu T, Mu C, Wang Y, Lu B, Warren A, Wang C. The taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of two epibiotic colonial peritrich ciliates (Ciliophora, Peritrichia). Eur J Protistol 2022; 86:125921. [PMID: 36126378 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2022.125921] [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: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Two colonial sessilid peritrichs, Epistylis qingdaoensis n. sp. and Carchesium cyclopidarum Nenninger, 1948, were isolated from a marine crustacean and a freshwater mayfly, respectively. Morphological characters for each species were revealed by in vivo observations and silver staining methods. Epistylis qingdaoensis n. sp. is characterized by the apperance of the colony which is up to 250 μm high and usually contains fewer than eight zooids, the single-layered peristomial lip, the conspicuously conical peristomial disc, and the structure of infundibular polykinety 3 which comprises three isometric ciliary rows. Carchesium cyclopidarum is recognized by the colony height of about 600 μm, the small zooid size of 35-50 × 20-30 μm, and the low number of silverlines. Phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences were performed to reveal their evolutionary relationships. Surprisingly, neither species clustered with its congeners. Epistylis qingdaoensis n. sp. nested within a clade of Zoothamnium species that was sister to a clade comprising core Epistylis species and several Zoothamnium species. Carchesium cyclopidarum nested within a clade comprising solitary peritrichs and was distantly related to the type species of Carchesium, C. polypinum. These findings imply for the first time that Carchesium is non-monophyletic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Wang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
| | - Tong Wu
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Changjun Mu
- Weishan Special Aquaculture Base, Jining 277600, China
| | - Ya Wang
- Weishan Fishery Development Service Center, Jining 277600, China
| | - Borong Lu
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Alan Warren
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Chundi Wang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China.
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Omar A, Moon JH, Jung JH. Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Two New Trachelophyllid Ciliates, Monolamellophrya terricola gen. nov., sp. nov. and Trachelophyllum parapiculatum sp. nov. (Litostomatea, Haptoria), From South Korea. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:893886. [PMID: 35733971 PMCID: PMC9207515 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.893886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The morphology and molecular phylogeny of two new ciliates, Monolamellophrya terricola gen. nov., sp. nov. and Trachelophyllum parapiculatum sp. nov., discovered in South Korea, were investigated. The two species belong to the suborder Trachelophyllina, which is characterized by the presence of a mucilaginous layer containing lepidosomes covering the cortex. Monolamellophrya terricola gen. nov., sp. nov. is characterized by the presence of a single layer of type II lepidosomes, representing a new genus. Trachelophyllum parapiculatum sp. nov. has only type I lepidosomes covering the cortex, a generic character of the genus Trachelophyllum, and is distinguished from other congeners by a combination of morphological features, including the 15–24 μm long rod-shaped extrusomes, the 9–13 ciliary rows, the 7–11 and 17–25 dikinetids in brush rows 1 and 2, respectively, and the bipolar brush row 3. Furthermore, the 18S rRNA gene sequences of the two new species were provided. The phylogenetic analyses show that the sequence of M. terricola gen. nov., sp. nov. clusters with two other trachelophyllid sequences, and the sequence of T. parapiculatum sp. nov. is placed at the base of these three sequences with full support. Furthermore, the four trachelophyllid sequences that are available so far form a monophyletic clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atef Omar
- Natural Science Research Institute, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, South Korea
- Department of Zoology, Al Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Ji Hye Moon
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, South Korea
| | - Jae-Ho Jung
- Department of Biology, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Jae-Ho Jung
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Taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of two poorly known ciliate genera, Balantidion and Acropisthium (Protista: Ciliophora: Litostomatea), including a new species of Balantidion. Eur J Protistol 2022; 85:125906. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2022.125906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Méndez-Sánchez D, Pomahač O, Rotterová J, Bourland W, Čepička I. Diversity and Phylogenetic Position of Bothrostoma Stokes, 1887 (Ciliophora: Metopida), with Description of Four New Species. Protist 2022; 173:125887. [PMID: 35714562 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2022.125887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
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 peristome on the ventral side. We examined 20 populations of Bothrostoma from hypoxic freshwater sediments. We provide morphological characterization and 18S rRNA gene sequences of four new species, namely B. bimicronucleatum sp. nov., B. boreale sp. nov., B. kovalyovi sp. nov., and B. robustum sp. nov., as well as B. undulans (type species), B. nasutum, and B. ovale comb. nov. (original combination Metopus undulans var. ovalis Kahl, 1932). Except for B. nasutum, Bothrostoma species show low genetic variability among geographically distant populations. Intraspecific phenotypic variability might be driven by environmental conditions. In phylogenetic analyses, Bothrostoma is not closely related to Metopus sensu stricto and forms a moderately supported clade with Planometopus, here referred to as BoPl clade. The anterior axial torsion of the body, typical of other Metopidae, appears to have been lost in the last common ancestor of the BoPl clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Méndez-Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinična 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Ondřej Pomahač
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinična 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Johana Rotterová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinična 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - William Bourland
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinična 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Čepička
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinična 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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Melekhin M, Yakovleva Y, Lebedeva N, Nekrasova I, Nikitashina L, Castelli M, Mayén-Estrada R, Romanovich AE, Petroni G, Potekhin A. Cryptic Diversity in Paramecium multimicronucleatum Revealed with a Polyphasic Approach. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10050974. [PMID: 35630417 PMCID: PMC9143557 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10050974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Paramecium (Ciliophora) systematics is well studied, and about twenty morphological species have been described. The morphological species may include several genetic species. However, molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that the species diversity within Paramecium could be even higher and has raised a problem of cryptic species whose statuses remain uncertain. In the present study, we provide the morphological and molecular characterization of two novel Paramecium species. While Paramecium lynni n. sp., although morphologically similar to P. multimicronucleatum, is phylogenetically well separated from all other Paramecium species, Paramecium fokini n. sp. appears to be a cryptic sister species to P. multimicronucleatum. The latter two species can be distinguished only by molecular methods. The number and structure of micronuclei, traditionally utilized to discriminate species in Paramecium, vary not only between but also within each of the three studied species and, thus, cannot be considered a reliable feature for species identification. The geographic distribution of the P. multimicronucleatum and P. fokini n. sp. strains do not show defined patterns, still leaving space for a role of the geographic factor in initial speciation in Paramecium. Future findings of new Paramecium species can be predicted from the molecular data, while morphological characteristics appear to be unstable and overlapping at least in some species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maksim Melekhin
- Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Protistology, Zoological Institute RAS, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Yulia Yakovleva
- Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Natalia Lebedeva
- Centre for Culture Collection of Microorganisms, Saint Petersburg State University, 198504 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Irina Nekrasova
- Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Liubov Nikitashina
- Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Michele Castelli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology 'Lazzaro Spallanzani', University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Rosaura Mayén-Estrada
- Laboratorio de Protozoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Ext. s/núm. Ciudad Universitaria, Av. Universidad 3000, Coyoacán, Ciudad de Mexico 04510, Mexico
| | - Anna E Romanovich
- Center for Molecular and Cell Technologies, Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Giulio Petroni
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Alexey Potekhin
- Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Protistology, Zoological Institute RAS, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
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Widespread Occurrence of Two Planktonic Ciliate Species (Urotricha, Prostomatida) Originating from High Mountain Lakes. DIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/d14050362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Ciliates of the genus Urotricha are widely distributed and occur in almost any freshwater body. Thus far, almost all species have been described from morphology only. Here, we applied an integrative approach on the morphology, molecular phylogeny and biogeography of two species isolated from high mountain lakes in the Central Alps, Austria. As these remote lakes are known to have water temperatures <15 °C, our hypothesis was that these urotrichs might prefer ‘cold’ environments. We studied the morphological details from living and silver-stained individuals, and their molecular sequences (ribosomal operon, ITS), and screened available datasets for their biogeography. The two Urotricha species resembled morphological features of several congeners. An accurate species assignment was difficult due to several overlapping characteristics. However, we tentatively attributed the investigated species to Urotricha nais and Urotricha globosa. The biogeographic analyses revealed their occurrence in Europe, Africa and Asia, and no correlations to (cold) temperatures were found. Our findings suggest that these two urotrichs, originating from two cold and remote habitats, are probably cryptic species well adapted to their harsh environment.
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50
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Ishida H, Matsumoto C, Shimada M, Suzaki T. SEM observation of non-fixed and water freeze-dried Spirostomum ambiguum. Eur J Protistol 2022; 85:125896. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2022.125896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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