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Bourland W, Pomahač O, Poláková K, Čepička I. Redescription and molecular characterization of Loxocephalus luridus Eberhard, 1862 based on Czech populations: Implications for order Loxocephalida Jankowski, 1980. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2024:e13028. [PMID: 38613145 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.13028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The phylogenetic and taxonomic affinities of lineages currently assigned to the non-monophyletic ciliate order Loxocephalida Jankowski (1980) within subclass Scuticociliatia Small (1967) remain unresolved. In the current study, we redescribe the morphology of the type species, Loxocephalus luridus Eberhard (1862) based on two Czech populations and include the first scanning and transmission electron microscopy images of the species. We provide the first 18S rRNA gene sequences for L. luridus and consider its phylogenetic position. Our results support the separation of Dexiotricha from Loxocephalus; however, the former genus is recovered as non-monophyletic. The monophyly of genus Dexiotricha and that of Loxocephalus + Dexiotricha is rejected. Loxocephalus luridus, together with Dexiotricha species, nests within a fully supported clade with Conchophthirus species, long presumed to belong to the Pleuronematida. Haptophrya is recovered as sister to this clade. The monophyly of the Astomatia Schewiakoff (1896) including Haptophrya is rejected. No clear morphologic synapomorphy is identified for the fully supported clade consisting of Haptophrya, Dexiotricha, Loxocephalus, and Conchophthirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Bourland
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Pomahač
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Poláková
- 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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Bourland W, Pomahač O, Čepička I. Redescription and molecular phylogeny of the freshwater metopid, Castula strelkowi (Jankowski, 1964) from the Czech Republic and synonymization of Pileometopus with Castula. Protist 2024; 175:126034. [PMID: 38569353 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2024.126034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The relationships of the mainly free living, obligately anaerobic ciliated protists belonging to order Metopida continue to be clarified and now comprise three families: Metopidae, Tropidoatractidae, and Apometopidae. The most species-rich genus of the Metopidae, Metopus has undergone considerable subdivision into new genera in recent years as more taxa are characterized by modern morphologic and molecular methods. The genus, Castula, was established to accommodate setae-bearing species previously assigned to Metopus: C. setosa and C. fusca, and one new species, C. flexibilis. Another new species, C. specialis, has been added since. Here we redescribe another species previously included in Metopus, using morphologic and molecular methods, and transfer it to Castula as C. strelkowi n. comb. (original combination Metopus strelkowi). We also reassess the monotypic genus, Pileometopus, which nests within the strongly supported Castula clade in 18S rRNA gene trees and conclude that it represents a morphologically divergent species of Castula.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Bourland
- 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
| | - Ivan Čepička
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinična 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Bourland W. Corrigendum to "Morphologic and molecular characterization of Apertospathula pilata n. sp., a novel freshwater spathidiid (Ciliophora Litostomatea) from Idaho USA" [Eur. J. Protistol. 89 (2023) 125990]. Eur J Protistol 2023; 90:126011. [PMID: 37495433 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2023.126011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- William Bourland
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Bourland W, Pomahač O, Čepička I. Morphology and phylogeny of two anaerobic freshwater ciliates: Brachonella comma sp. nov. and the widely-distributed but little-known caenomorphid, Ludio parvulus Penard, 1922. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12892. [PMID: 35113477 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxic, sulfidic freshwater sediments typically support a diffuse consortium of distinctive ciliated protists, including caenomorphids, metopids, and odontostomatids among others. A recent resurgence of interest in these important members of sapropelic food webs has resulted in the description of many new species and an effort, still in its infancy, to characterize them from a morphologic, molecular, and metabolic standpoint and to determine their phylogenetic relationships. Their seemingly invariable association with prokaryotic endosymbionts and, less commonly, ectosymbionts, has become a focus for many researchers. In this report, based on morphologic and molecular data we describe a Brachonella species (Ciliophora, Metopida) new to science and analyze its phylogeny. We also provide a morphologic and molecular characterization of the smallest representative of the Caenomorphidae Poche, 1913, Ludio parvulus Penard, 1922. The phylogenetic analysis confirms the inclusion of this species in the Caenomorphidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Bourland
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Pomahač
- 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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Fan X, Yao S, Luo X, Dong T, Xu Y, Chen L, Bourland W, Zhao Y, Huang J. Some morphologically distinguishable hypotrich ciliates share identical 18S rRNA gene sequences – taxonomic insights from a case study on Oxytricha species (Protista, Ciliophora). Zool J Linn Soc 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Modern taxonomic studies of ciliated protozoa require both morphological and molecular data. One dilemma is how to distinguish morphologically similar species with few nucleotide differences in the widely used marker, the 18S rRNA gene. In the present study, two Oxytricha species were morphologically documented using light and electron microscopy. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and a fragment of the rRNA gene covering the 18S-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2-28S rRNA gene regions were sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses of all available Oxytricha granulifera-related populations were performed to reveal the internal relationships of this group. We described a new species, Oxytricha atypica sp. nov., distinguished from its congeners by having seven postoral ventral cirri resulting from the additional fragmentation of anlage V during ontogenesis. Although their 18S rRNA genes differ by only one nucleotide, divergence of the COI gene is as high as 11.8% between O. atypica and the closely related species, O. granulifera. All but one of the COI nucleotide substitutions were synonymous. We documented the highly conserved nature of the 18S rRNA gene in the morphospecies of Oxytricha. Based on these findings, we speculate that O. granulifera contains cryptic species or morphospecies needing further characterization, and new insights for the taxonomy of hypotrich ciliates are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinpeng Fan
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shunli Yao
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaotian Luo
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Tianyao Dong
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lingyun Chen
- College of Life Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China
| | - William Bourland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Yan Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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Bourland W, Rotterová J, Čepička I. Description of Three New Genera of Metopidae (Metopida, Ciliophora): Pileometopus gen. nov., Castula gen. nov., and Longitaenia gen. nov., with Notes on the Phylogeny and Cryptic Diversity of Metopid Ciliates. Protist 2020; 171:125740. [PMID: 32544844 DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2020.125740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
We report the discovery of three new species of freshwater metopid ciliates, Pileometopus lynni gen. et sp. nov., Castula flexibilis gen. et sp. nov., and Longitaenia australis gen. et sp. nov. Based on morphologic features and the 18S rRNA gene phylogeny, we transfer two known species of Metopus to the new genus Castula, as C. fusca (Kahl, 1927) comb. nov. and C. setosa (Kahl, 1927) comb. nov. and another known species is herein transferred to the new genus Longitaenia, as L. gibba (Kahl, 1927) comb. nov. Pileometopus is characterized by a turbinate body shape, a dorsal field of densely spaced dikinetids, a bipartite paroral membrane, and long caudal cilia. A distinctive morphologic feature of Castula species is long setae arising over the posterior third of the body (as opposed to a terminal tuft). Longitaenia spp. are characterized by an equatorial cytostome and long perizonal ciliary stripe relative to the cell length. Based on phylogenetic analyses of 18S rRNA gene sequences, we identify and briefly discuss strongly supported clades and intraspecific genetic polymorphism within the order Metopida.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Bourland
- Boise State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Boise, Idaho 83725-1515, USA.
| | - Johana Rotterová
- 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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Rotterová J, Salomaki E, Pánek T, Bourland W, Žihala D, Táborský P, Edgcomb VP, Beinart RA, Kolísko M, Čepička I. Genomics of New Ciliate Lineages Provides Insight into the Evolution of Obligate Anaerobiosis. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2037-2050.e6. [PMID: 32330419 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.03.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Oxygen plays a crucial role in energetic metabolism of most eukaryotes. Yet adaptations to low-oxygen concentrations leading to anaerobiosis have independently arisen in many eukaryotic lineages, resulting in a broad spectrum of reduced and modified mitochondrion-related organelles (MROs). In this study, we present the discovery of two new class-level lineages of free-living marine anaerobic ciliates, Muranotrichea, cl. nov. and Parablepharismea, cl. nov., that, together with the class Armophorea, form a major clade of obligate anaerobes (APM ciliates) within the Spirotrichea, Armophorea, and Litostomatea (SAL) group. To deepen our understanding of the evolution of anaerobiosis in ciliates, we predicted the mitochondrial metabolism of cultured representatives from all three classes in the APM clade by using transcriptomic and metagenomic data and performed phylogenomic analyses to assess their evolutionary relationships. The predicted mitochondrial metabolism of representatives from the APM ciliates reveals functional adaptations of metabolic pathways that were present in their last common ancestor and likely led to the successful colonization and diversification of the group in various anoxic environments. Furthermore, we discuss the possible relationship of Parablepharismea to the uncultured deep-sea class Cariacotrichea on the basis of single-gene analyses. Like most anaerobic ciliates, all studied species of the APM clade host symbionts, which we propose to be a significant accelerating factor in the transitions to an obligately anaerobic lifestyle. Our results provide an insight into the evolutionary mechanisms of early transitions to anaerobiosis and shed light on fine-scale adaptations in MROs over a relatively short evolutionary time frame.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johana Rotterová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 128 43, Czech Republic.
| | - Eric Salomaki
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Pánek
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 128 43, Czech Republic
| | - William Bourland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725-1515, USA
| | - David Žihala
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava 710 00, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Táborský
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Virginia P Edgcomb
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Roxanne A Beinart
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA
| | - Martin Kolísko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice 370 05, Czech Republic; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Čepička
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 128 43, Czech Republic
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Rajter Ľ, Bourland W, Vďačný P. Morpho-molecular Characterization of the Litostomatean Predatory Ciliate Phialina pupula (Müller, 1773) Foissner, 1983 (Haptoria, Lacrymariidae). ACTA PROTOZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.4467/16890027ap.19.004.10835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The morphology and phylogenetic position of a haptorian ciliate, Phialina pupula (Müller, 1773) Foissner, 1983, isolated from microaerobic sandy sediments of the floodplain area of the Boise River, Idaho, U.S.A., were studied using live observation, protargol impregnation, scanning electron microscopy, and the 18S rRNA gene as well as the ITS region. The Boise population of P. pupula is characterized by a size of about 60–130 × 20–50 μm, an elliptical macronucleus with a single micronucleus, highly refractive dumbbell-shaped inclusions scattered throughout the cytoplasm and concentrated in the anterior body half, a single subterminal/terminal contractile vacuole, about 10 μm long rod-shaped extrusomes, and an average of 15 ciliary rows. In phylogenetic analyses, the newly obtained sequences from P. pupula and Lacrymaria olor clustered within the family Lacrymariidae with full to moderate statistical support. Neither the genus Phialina nor the genus Lacrymaria was depicted monophyletic both in the single gene and multigene phylogenetic inferences. Specifically, the genus Phialina was shown as a paraphyletic assemblage containing members of the polyphyletic genus Lacrymaria. This indicates that the phialinid bauplan, i.e., an anterior body end differentiated into a head-like structure directly attached to the trunk, might represent the ground pattern in the family Lacrymariidae. On the other hand, the long highly contractile neck carrying the head-like structure probably evolved later and convergently in multiple Lacrymaria species from Phialina-like ancestors.
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Bourland W, Rotterová J, Čepička I. Morphologic and molecular characterization of Brachonella pulchra (Kahl, 1927) comb. nov. (Armophorea, Ciliophora) with comments on cyst structure and formation. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2018; 68:3052-3065. [DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.002888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- William Bourland
- 1Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725-1515, USA
| | - Johana Rotterová
- 2Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Čepička
- 2Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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Lynn DH, Kolisko M, Bourland W. Phylogenomic Analysis of Nassula variabilis n. sp., Furgasonia blochmanni, and Pseudomicrothorax dubius Confirms a Nassophorean Clade. Protist 2018; 169:180-189. [DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2017] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Yan Y, Fan Y, Luo X, El-Serehy HA, Bourland W, Chen X. New contribution to the species-rich genus Euplotes: Morphology, ontogeny and systematic position of two species (Ciliophora; Euplotia). Eur J Protistol 2018; 64:20-39. [PMID: 29621653 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2018.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The morphology, ontogeny and phylogeny of two Euplotes species, E. estuarinus sp. nov. and a population of E. platystoma Dragesco and Dragesco-Kernéis, 1986, both collected from tropical brackish waters in south China, were investigated based on living morphology, ciliary pattern and molecular data. Euplotes estuarinus sp. nov. is small (about 60 × 40 μm in vivo), has a dargyrome of the double-eurystomus type, and the transverse cirri are arranged in two groups, with two left and three right ones. The original description of the poorly known species, E. platystoma, is brief, and the species was never investigated using live observation and molecular methods Hence, we provided a detailed redescription. Some stages of their morphogenesis were observed which proceed in the same pattern as in their congeners. The new species E. estuarinus sp. nov. clusters with E. curdsi, differing only by 1 bp in their SSU rRNA gene sequences, which is likely due to the recent speciation event and the limited resolution of the SSU rRNA gene at species level in this group as the two species are clearly morphologically distinct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Yan
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Yangbo Fan
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; School of Civil and Environment Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Xiaotian Luo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise 83725, USA
| | - Hamed A El-Serehy
- Department of Zoology, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - William Bourland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise 83725, USA
| | - Xiangrui Chen
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
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Lian C, Luo X, Fan X, Huang J, Yu Y, Bourland W, Song W. Morphological and Molecular Redefinition of Euplotes platystoma Dragesco & Dragesco-Kernéis, 1986 and Aspidisca lynceus (Müller,1773) Ehrenberg, 1859, with Reconsideration of a "Well-known" Euplotes Ciliate, Euplotes harpa Stein, 1859 (Ciliophora, Euplotida). J Eukaryot Microbiol 2018; 65:531-543. [PMID: 29315959 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We documented the morphology, infraciliature, silverline system, and molecular data of two euplotid species isolated from China, including two populations of the poorly known Euplotes platystoma Dragesco & Dragesco-Kernéis, and the previously well described Aspidisca lynceus (Müller, ) Ehrenberg, 1830. Based on the information available, an improved diagnosis of Euplotes platystoma is given, including: a narrow adoral zone with 44-68 membranelles, 10 frontoventral, 5 transverse, 2 left marginal and 2 caudal cirri, 11-13 dorsal kineties with 17-25 dikinetids in the mid-dorsal row, and dorsal silverline system of the double-eurystomus type. The Chinese population of Aspidisca lynceus closely resembles previously described populations. Phylogenetic analyses inferred from SSU rDNA sequences show that E. platystoma is closely related with E. neapolitanus, and the internal position of A. lynceus within this genus is still not robust. A reconsideration of the "well-known" Euplotes harpa and a comparison of all SSU rDNA sequences of E. harpa in GenBank are provided. We speculate that the sequences available from GenBank under the name of E. harpa are very likely from misidentified materials, that is, the identity of the species currently associated with the SSU rDNA of this "well-known" form in molecular databases requires further confirmation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyu Lian
- Institute of Evolution and 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
| | - Xiaotian Luo
- Institute of Evolution and 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.,Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, 83725, ID, USA
| | - Xinpeng Fan
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yuhe Yu
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - William Bourland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, 83725, ID, USA
| | - Weibo Song
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.,Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
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Bourland W. How Far do Ciliate Flagships Sail? A Proposed Gondawanaland Endemic Species at Anchor in Idaho Soils. Protist 2017; 168:352-361. [DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Bourland W, Rotterova J, Čepička I. Redescription and molecular phylogeny of the type species for two main metopid genera, Metopus es (Müller, 1776) Lauterborn, 1916 and Brachonella contorta (Levander, 1894) Jankowski, 1964 (Metopida, Ciliophora), based on broad geographic sampling. Eur J Protistol 2017; 59:133-154. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2016.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 11/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Alileche A, Goswami J, Bourland W, Davis M, Hampikian G. Nullomer derived anticancer peptides (NulloPs): differential lethal effects on normal and cancer cells in vitro. Peptides 2012; 38:302-11. [PMID: 23000474 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2012.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2012] [Revised: 08/31/2012] [Accepted: 09/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We demonstrate the first use of the nullomer (absent sequences) approach to drug discovery and development. Nullomers are the shortest absent sequences determined in a species, or group of species. By identifying the shortest absent peptide sequences from the NCBI databases, we screened several potential anti-cancer peptides. In order to improve cell penetration and solubility we added short poly arginine tails (5Rs), and initially solubilized the peptides in 1M trehalose. The results for one of the absent sequences 9R (RRRRRNWMWC), and its scrambled version 9S1R (RRRRRWCMNW) are reported here. We refer to these peptides derived from nullomers as PolyArgNulloPs. A control PolyArgNulloP, 124R (RRRRRWFMHW), was also included. The lethal effects of 9R and 9S1R are mediated by mitochondrial impairment as demonstrated by increased ROS production, ATP depletion, cell growth inhibition, and ultimately cell death. These effects increase over time for cancer cells with a concomitant drop in IC-50 for breast and prostate cancer cells. This is in sharp contrast to the effects in normal cells, which show a decreased sensitivity to the NulloPs over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelkrim Alileche
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725, USA
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Edgcomb VP, Leadbetter ER, Bourland W, Beaudoin D, Bernhard JM. Structured multiple endosymbiosis of bacteria and archaea in a ciliate from marine sulfidic sediments: a survival mechanism in low oxygen, sulfidic sediments? Front Microbiol 2011; 2:55. [PMID: 21833311 PMCID: PMC3153031 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2011.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2011] [Accepted: 03/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine micro-oxic to sulfidic environments are sites of intensive biogeochemical cycling and elemental sequestration, where prokaryotes are major driving forces mediating carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and metal cycles, important from both biogeochemical and evolutionary perspectives. Associations between single-celled eukaryotes and bacteria and/or archaea are common in such habitats. Here we describe a ciliate common in the micro-oxic to anoxic, typically sulfidic, sediments of Santa Barbara Basin (CA, USA). The ciliate is 95% similar to Parduzcia orbis (18S rRNA). Transmission electron micrographs reveal clusters of at least three different endobiont types organized within membrane-bound sub-cellular regions. Catalyzed reporter deposition-fluorescent in situ hybridization and 16S rRNA clone libraries confirm the symbionts include up to two sulfate reducers (Desulfobulbaceae, Desulfobacteraceae), a methanogen (Methanobacteriales), and possibly a Bacteroidete (Cytophaga) and a Type I methanotroph, suggesting synergistic metabolisms in this environment. This case study is discussed in terms of implications to biogeochemistry, and benthic ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia P Edgcomb
- Geology and Geophysics Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, MA, USA
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