European journal of protistology最新文献

Diversity of protists in dryland habitats of Qatar revealed by environmental metabarcoding 环境元条形码揭示的卡塔尔旱地原生生物多样性。

IF 1.6 2区生物学

European journal of protistology Pub Date : 2025-10-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126168

Carla S.R. Huber , Luciano K. Huber , Sara H. Al-Hadidi , Talaat Ahmed , Sakeenah Adenan , Jane Oja , Amjad M. Shraim , Anna Ostapenko Alatalo , Mohammed Alsafran , Leho Tedersoo , Dana A. Abumaali , Laura R.P. Utz , Juha M. Alatalo

{"title":"Diversity of protists in dryland habitats of Qatar revealed by environmental metabarcoding","authors":"Carla S.R. Huber , Luciano K. Huber , Sara H. Al-Hadidi , Talaat Ahmed , Sakeenah Adenan , Jane Oja , Amjad M. Shraim , Anna Ostapenko Alatalo , Mohammed Alsafran , Leho Tedersoo , Dana A. Abumaali , Laura R.P. Utz , Juha M. Alatalo","doi":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126168","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126168","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We investigated soil protist communities across five sites representing two characteristic dryland habitats in Qatar: rawdha and sabkha. Altogether, 100 samples were collected during a single field campaign; DNA was subsequently extracted, and the V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene was amplified. We obtained 112,529 high-quality sequences, taxonomically representing 1,524 TSAR (Telonemia, Stramenopila, Alveolata, Rhizaria) amplicon sequence variants. This approach enabled detection of diverse eukaryotic lineages and facilitated assessment of their diversity and relative abundance. Protist diversity differed significantly between habitats and among samples, while richness varied significantly between habitats. Across all samples, 170 genera were identified, of which 52 were shared across all sites. Sabkha exhibited the highest number of exclusive genera (22), nearly three times the number found in any individual rawdha site. The clade Alveolata accounted for 50 % or more of overall genus richness in most samples. Among ciliates, the classes Spirotrichea and Colpodea were the most abundant at the time of sampling. Functional analysis revealed consumers as the dominant trophic group. This study advances our understanding of microbial life in extremely hot environments by uniquely comparing two proximate terrestrial habitats that, despite similar climatic conditions, exhibit distinct edaphic and physicochemical characteristics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12042,"journal":{"name":"European journal of protistology","volume":"101 ","pages":"Article 126168"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145198908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Comparative genomics reveals insights into the ultrafast Ca2+-dependent cell contraction in ciliates (Eukaryota, SAR, Alveolata) 比较基因组学揭示了纤毛虫（真核生物，SAR，肺泡动物）中Ca2+依赖性细胞的超快收缩

IF 1.6 2区生物学

European journal of protistology Pub Date : 2025-09-18 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126167

Ying Zhang , Fasheng Liang , Chunying Xu , Alan Warren , Lifang Li

{"title":"Comparative genomics reveals insights into the ultrafast Ca2+-dependent cell contraction in ciliates (Eukaryota, SAR, Alveolata)","authors":"Ying Zhang , Fasheng Liang , Chunying Xu , Alan Warren , Lifang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126167","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126167","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Certain ciliate taxa possess a Ca<sup>2+</sup>-dependent mechanism for ultrafast contraction, in addition to the more common adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent process. In this study, we integrated omics data from 47 ciliate species, focusing on four target ciliate taxa: Vorticellidae, Zoothamniidae, <em>Stentor</em>, and <em>Spirostomum</em>. The spasmin gene, which encodes a key calcium-binding protein, was detected in 17 oligohymenophoreans (13 peritrichs, two peniculians, and two scuticociliatians) and three heterotricheans (one <em>Stentor</em> and two <em>Spirostomum</em> species). Gene family analysis revealed a roughly proportional relationship between genome/transcriptome size and the number of expanded gene families in these four target taxa. Functional enrichment analyses of significantly expanded gene families indicated rapid evolution of genes associated with phosphatase activity, dephosphorylation, signal transduction, metabolism, and transport. These findings provide new insights into the genomic adaptations underlying the unique contractile mechanisms of these ciliates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12042,"journal":{"name":"European journal of protistology","volume":"101 ","pages":"Article 126167"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145156923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Morphogenesis of the anaerobic ciliate Tropidoatractus levanderi (Ciliophora, Armophorea, Metopida), with notes on conjugation and molecular phylogeny 厌氧纤毛虫troidatractus leanderi（纤毛虫目，纤毛虫目，Metopida目）的形态发生及其偶联和分子系统发育的注释

IF 1.6 2区生物学

European journal of protistology Pub Date : 2025-09-15 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126166

Xiaochen Feng , Wenbao Zhuang , Ran Li , Xiaozhong Hu

引用次数: 0

Typical and atypical cell division versus potential meiosis and sex in euglenids 真核细胞的典型和非典型细胞分裂与潜在减数分裂和性别

IF 1.6 2区生物学

European journal of protistology Pub Date : 2025-08-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126164

Andrej Jedlička , Olivier Barth , Diana Lihanová Bugajdová , Terézia Beck , Vanessa Gelanová , Juraj Krajčovič , Dominika Vešelényiová , Matej Vesteg

{"title":"Typical and atypical cell division versus potential meiosis and sex in euglenids","authors":"Andrej Jedlička , Olivier Barth , Diana Lihanová Bugajdová , Terézia Beck , Vanessa Gelanová , Juraj Krajčovič , Dominika Vešelényiová , Matej Vesteg","doi":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126164","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126164","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Euglenids typically reproduce asexually by closed intranuclear orthomitosis and longitudinal cell division. The nucleus divides without the dissolution of the nuclear envelope, and the spindle is radially symmetric. Typical longitudinal cell division begins in the reservoir at the anterior end of the cell and the shape of the dividing cell gradually changes from a “Y” to a “V”. This paper reviews typical mitosis and cytokinesis in euglenids, alongside atypical cell division, in which a single cell produces more than two daughter cells, forming distinctive star-like structures. Atypical cell division is particularly observed under specific stress conditions, such as exposure to chemical substances (e.g., phenol and xylene), and in senescent cultures. Although euglenids are generally considered to be asexual, the presence of key meiotic genes in <em>Euglena gracilis</em> suggests the potential for sexual reproduction. Bioinformatic analyses and experimental approaches, including flow cytometry and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), are discussed as potential methods for detecting meiosis, sex, and cell fusion in euglenids. This review contributes to a broader understanding of both typical and atypical cell division in euglenids and underscores the need for further research into these processes, including the possible occurrence of meiosis and sexual reproduction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12042,"journal":{"name":"European journal of protistology","volume":"100 ","pages":"Article 126164"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144771719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Novel taxa of the centrohelid heliozoans (Pterocystida and Panacanthocystida) from agricultural soils 农业土壤中圆心虫的新分类群（翼虫和泛棘虫）

IF 1.6 2区生物学

European journal of protistology Pub Date : 2025-08-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126165

Dmitry G. Zagumyonnyi , German A. Sozonov , Elena A. Gerasimova , Artem O. Belyaev , Olga N. Zagumyonnaya , Elizaveta E. Makarenko , Ruslan Kasseinov , Denis V. Tikhonenkov

{"title":"Novel taxa of the centrohelid heliozoans (Pterocystida and Panacanthocystida) from agricultural soils","authors":"Dmitry G. Zagumyonnyi , German A. Sozonov , Elena A. Gerasimova , Artem O. Belyaev , Olga N. Zagumyonnaya , Elizaveta E. Makarenko , Ruslan Kasseinov , Denis V. Tikhonenkov","doi":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126165","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126165","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil protists play key roles in terrestrial ecosystems, influencing microbial dynamics, nutrient cycling, and plant health. In this study, we describe a new genus and species of centrohelid heliozoans, <em>Tellocystis perplexa</em> gen. et sp. nov. and <em>Raphidocystis akmolaensis</em> sp. nov., isolated from agricultural soil habitats, and characterize two other known cyst-forming centrohelid species from soil. <em>T. perplexa</em> gen. et sp. nov., studied using light and electron microscopy, possesses an unusual spine-scale morphology, featuring a small drop-shaped basal plate and a curved shaft. Phylogenetic analysis of the 18S rRNA gene unexpectedly placed this species within the clade previously referred to as ‘<em>Pinaciophora</em>’, which is nested within Pterista, alongside unpublished clones of ‘<em>Choanocystis perpusilla</em>’ from Franz Josef Land and Southern Transbaikalia. Based on the obtained data, we transferred <em>C. perpusilla</em> to the genus <em>Tellocystis</em>. <em>R. akmolaensis</em> sp. nov. is morphologically similar to <em>R. symmetrica</em>, but differs from it by having smaller cell and plate-scale sizes, and by formation of cyst scales that are distinct from those of its trophic phase. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that this species occupies a deep evolutionary position within Raphidocystidae, basal to <em>R. symmetrica</em>, <em>R. tubifera</em>, <em>R. ambigua</em>, and ‘<em>R. brunii</em>’. This study advances current knowledge of the diversity of soil heterotrophic protists, which play an essential role in regulating microbial populations, and clarifies the intricate taxonomy of some centrohelid heliozoans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12042,"journal":{"name":"European journal of protistology","volume":"100 ","pages":"Article 126165"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144922019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Morphology and multi-gene phylogeny of Rubrioxytricha hasllaensis n. sp. (Ciliophora, Spirotrichea) from South Korea. 韩国毛螺旋体Rubrioxytricha hasllaensis n. sp.（纤毛虫目，螺旋体目）的形态和多基因系统发育。

IF 1.6 2区生物学

European journal of protistology Pub Date : 2025-08-01 Epub Date: 2025-07-28 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126163

Ji Hye Moon, Atef Omar, Jae-Ho Jung

{"title":"Morphology and multi-gene phylogeny of Rubrioxytricha hasllaensis n. sp. (Ciliophora, Spirotrichea) from South Korea.","authors":"Ji Hye Moon, Atef Omar, Jae-Ho Jung","doi":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126163","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126163","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The morphology and multi-gene phylogeny of Rubrioxytricha hasllaensis n. sp., a non-oxytrichid dorsomarginalian ciliate discovered in a brackish water habitat in South Korea, were investigated. The new species is characterized by a body size of 125-145 × 30-40 μm in vivo, colorless cytoplasm, yellow cortical granules, 30-36 adoral membranelles, 25-35 left and 25-38 right marginal cirri, a single caudal cirrus, and undulating membranes distinctly curved leftward. In phylogenetic analyses based on 18S rRNA gene sequences, the new species clusters with other Rubrioxytricha species, forming a monophyletic clade that groups with members of the genera Polystichothrix, Pseudogastrostyla, Pseudocyrtohymena, and Pseudocyrtohymenides. In phylogenetic analyses using concatenated 18S-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and partial 28S rRNA gene sequences, newly obtained sequences from Rubrioxytricha, Pseudocyrtohymena, and Pseudocyrtohymenides form a sister clade to the assemblage of soft-bodied hypotrichs possessing dorsal kinety fragmentation. In addition to identifying morphological apomorphies shared by Rubrioxytricha and its phylogenetically related genera, including the absence of dorsal kinety fragmentation, a reduced number of caudal cirri, and the presence of a bipolar dorsomarginal kinety, new generic characters are introduced for dorsomarginalian hypotrichs and used to improve the diagnosis of the genus Rubrioxytricha.</p>","PeriodicalId":12042,"journal":{"name":"European journal of protistology","volume":"100 ","pages":"126163"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144811922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

First records of nivicolous myxomycetes (Amoebozoa) from Kazakhstan 哈萨克斯坦尼维菌黏菌（阿米巴虫）的首次记录

IF 1.6 2区生物学

European journal of protistology Pub Date : 2025-08-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126161

Zhansaya Azirakhmet , Oleg Shchepin , Maho Inoue , Assiya Kussainova , Rakhmetkazhy Bersimbaev , Martin Schnittler

引用次数: 0

PCNA's dual legacy in ciliates: Conserved replication scaffold and lineage-specific genome architect PCNA在纤毛虫中的双重遗产：保守的复制支架和谱系特异性基因组架构

IF 1.6 2区生物学

European journal of protistology Pub Date : 2025-07-24 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126162

Hongzhen Jiang , Haicheng Li , Chundi Wang , Yuanyuan Wang , Yongqiang Liu

{"title":"PCNA's dual legacy in ciliates: Conserved replication scaffold and lineage-specific genome architect","authors":"Hongzhen Jiang , Haicheng Li , Chundi Wang , Yuanyuan Wang , Yongqiang Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126162","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126162","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a central scaffold in eukaryotic DNA replication, repair, and epigenetic regulation. While its roles are well-characterized in canonical model organisms, ciliates, unicellular eukaryotes with nuclear dimorphism and programmed genome remodeling, offer unparalleled insights into PCNA's functional adaptability. Their unique biology, including replication-coupled DNA elimination, macronuclear amplification, and replication band dynamics, positions PCNA at the intersection of genome stability and plasticity. This review systematically compares ciliate and human PCNA through phylogenetic, structural, and functional analyses. We reveal that ciliate PCNAs, despite ∼50 % sequence divergence from mammals, preserve conserved trimerization interfaces and partner-binding motifs, as validated by AlphaFold3-predicted models of the classical model organism <em>Tetrahymena thermophila</em> and the emerging systems <em>Euplotes eurystomus</em> and <em>Stylonychia lemnae</em>. Functional summaries highlight lineage-specific innovations, including epigenetic regulation, paralog specialization for nuclear differentiation, and replication band assembly. These findings have broader implications for elucidating replication-coupled chromatin dynamics, the adaptive evolution of multiprotein complexes, and the use of non-model organisms such as <em>E. eurystomus</em> and <em>S. lemnae</em> to uncover conserved principles of genome biology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12042,"journal":{"name":"European journal of protistology","volume":"100 ","pages":"Article 126162"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144722158","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Trait-based predictors of feeding ecology patterns in shelled microorganisms 有壳微生物取食生态模式的性状预测因子

IF 1.9 2区生物学

European journal of protistology Pub Date : 2025-07-23 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126160

Rafael L. Macêdo , Odete Rocha

{"title":"Trait-based predictors of feeding ecology patterns in shelled microorganisms","authors":"Rafael L. Macêdo , Odete Rocha","doi":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126160","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126160","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Functional traits provide key insights into ecological strategies and evolutionary diversification. In this study, we analyzed a comprehensive trait dataset to investigate morphological predictors of feeding ecology in testate amoebae from the Northern Holarctic realm, focusing on variability across 372 species. We also examined whether trait diversity mirrors taxonomic richness at the family level. Morphological traits included shell length, shell width, aperture dimensions, shape, and covering. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated that Axis 1 predominantly represented variation in shell and aperture size, while Axis 2 was associated with differences in overall shape proportions. Bacterivorous species exhibited the greatest morphological and taxonomic diversity, spanning 21 families and 48 genera, with mixotrophs and predators occupying nested subsets of their broader morphospace. The regression analyses demonstrated significant associations between species richness and variation in protective features, including aperture rim morphology and the presence of spines. Decision tree models identified the aperture width-to-length ratio as a key predictor of feeding strategy, although classification accuracy was lower for mixotrophs and predators. Future research should integrate shell morphology with phylogenetic data to enhance ecological strategy predictions in testate amoebae and explore hypotheses regarding functional diversification across a broader geographical scale and within different environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12042,"journal":{"name":"European journal of protistology","volume":"100 ","pages":"Article 126160"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144711725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Revision of the Acanthocystis turfacea species complex, description of Acanthocystis pohjolensis n. sp. and notes on the phylogeny of Acanthocystis 革面棘囊藻（Acanthocystis turfacea）物种复合体的修订，pohjolensis n. sp.的描述和棘囊藻系统发育的注释

IF 1.9 2区生物学

European journal of protistology Pub Date : 2025-07-07 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126159

Savelii A. Poluzerov , Sofiya V. Dmitrovskaya

{"title":"Revision of the Acanthocystis turfacea species complex, description of Acanthocystis pohjolensis n. sp. and notes on the phylogeny of Acanthocystis","authors":"Savelii A. Poluzerov , Sofiya V. Dmitrovskaya","doi":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126159","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejop.2025.126159","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Acanthocystis turfacea</em> Carter, 1863 is the type species of the centrohelid genus <em>Acanthocystis</em> Carter, 1863, which is characterized by bifurcated spine scales. In this study, the organism reported under the name <em>A. turfacea</em> by Zlatogursky and Klimov (2016) is reidentified as <em>A. hymenodes</em> Nicholls, 2023, based on morphological and morphometric evidence. Additionally, a centrohelid with a small cell diameter (7.9–11.9 μm) and distinctive scales, previously attributed to <em>A. turfacea</em>, was isolated from a marine habitat and is described here as a new species, <em>Acanthocystis pohjolensis</em> n. sp. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rRNA gene sequences places <em>A. pohjolensis</em> and <em>A. hymenodes</em> in a basal position within the genus <em>Acanthocystis</em>, suggesting that bifurcated spine scales are likely an ancestral trait of this genus. Furthermore, the taxonomic status of <em>A. turfacea</em> ssp. <em>decidens</em> Nicholls, 2023 is revised and elevated to species level as <em>A. decidens</em> Nicholls, 2023 n. stat. The <em>A. turfacea</em> species complex is revisited.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12042,"journal":{"name":"European journal of protistology","volume":"100 ","pages":"Article 126159"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144703874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0