International journal for parasitology最新文献

{"title":"Zoonotic Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato genotypes G6 and G7: new insights from the global mitogenome analysis","authors":"Anti Biedermann ,&nbsp;Teivi Laurimäe ,&nbsp;Liina Anijalg ,&nbsp;Laura Kamenetzky ,&nbsp;Silvia V. Soriano ,&nbsp;Nora Pierangeli ,&nbsp;Lorena E. Lazzarini ,&nbsp;Gérald Umhang ,&nbsp;Bolor Bold ,&nbsp;Chimedtseren Bayasgalan ,&nbsp;Jacek Karamon ,&nbsp;Małgorzata Samorek-Pieróg ,&nbsp;Sami Simsek ,&nbsp;Figen Celik ,&nbsp;Majid F. Harandi ,&nbsp;Saeid Nasibi ,&nbsp;Naunain Mehmood ,&nbsp;Oleg Chihai ,&nbsp;Adriano Casulli ,&nbsp;Urmas Saarma","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cystic echinococcosis is a severe zoonotic disease caused by different species and genotypes belonging to the <em>Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato</em> (<em>s.l.</em>) complex. Among these, genotypes G6 and G7 are the second most common cause of human cystic echinococcosis. One of the very first steps towards understanding the epidemiology of G6 and G7 is to study their genetic and host diversity, population structure and phylogenetic relationships. For this, we sequenced near-complete mitochondrial genomes (12,850–12,856 bp) of 72 new G6 and G7 samples from eight countries and six host species, including humans. By adding 103 sequences from previous studies, the total dataset for further analyses comprised of 175 sequences from 20 countries and seven host species. This is the most comprehensive global mitogenome study of <em>Echinococcus granulosus s.l.</em> G6 and G7 to date. The results of this work revealed: (i) a new divergent haplogroup G6b from Mongolia; (ii) the subdivision of genotype G6 into two major haplogroups: G6a (the nominal haplogroup) and G6b (the Mongolian haplogroup); (iii) highly divergent haplotypes of G6 and G7; (iv) the first molecularly confirmed findings of genotype G7 in camel; (v) genotype G7 in sheep – a rare species for G7; (vi) the importance of using long DNA sequences in phylogenetic analysis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 11","pages":"Pages 569-579"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144021943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Alba protein-mediated gene and protein regulation in protozoan parasites","authors":"Meghan E. Zadow ,&nbsp;Christopher A. MacRaild ,&nbsp;Darren J. Creek ,&nbsp;Danny W. Wilson","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.04.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The success of protozoan parasites relies heavily on regulation of gene and protein expression to facilitate their persistence in harsh and often changing environments. These parasites display biology that is highly divergent from model eukaryotes, unfortunately leaving our understanding of these parasites’ critical regulatory mechanisms incomplete. Alba proteins, a highly diverse group of DNA/RNA-binding proteins, are found across all domains of life and it has become increasingly apparent that these proteins play key regulatory roles in many protozoan parasite species including <em>Plasmodium, Leishmania, Toxoplasma,</em> and <em>Trypanosoma</em>. This review focusses on a subset of clinically relevant protozoan parasites and highlights the key biological processes known to have Alba protein involvement in these organisms including parasite development, survival, and virulence. In order to gain greater insight into these proteins, we also undertook a bioinformatic exploration of their protein sequences, leading us to identify previously unreported C-terminal Alba domain motifs and propose annotations for several currently unannotated protozoan Alba-like proteins. This collation of information allows us to observe common themes in Alba protein function across this group of parasites while also identifying areas of opportunity for further study.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 11","pages":"Pages 557-568"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143970551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diversity of domestic and imported assemblages of Giardia in Norway and multi-locus sequence typing of domestic assemblage A isolates.","authors":"Jahid Hasan Tipu, Anika Tabassum, Christian Klotz, Audun Sivertsen, Jan-Egil Afset, Peter Gaustad, Lars Sandven, Hanne Brekke, Hilde Marie Lund, Tore Lier, Liv Reidun Tverelv, Lucy J Robertson, Kurt Hanevik","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.08.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.08.018","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Giardia duodenalis is a gastrointestinal parasite and one of the most frequently reported parasitic infections associated with contaminated water. This study investigated the diversity of domestic and imported Giardia assemblages in Norway, with a focus on the genetic characterization of domestic assemblage A isolates using multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) targeting six genome markers. We analysed 340 human, and 40 animal faecal samples collected between February 2022 and January 2024 from six medical microbiology laboratories and one veterinary diagnostic center across four Norwegian health regions. All the samples were analysed using nested PCR targeting part of the triose-phosphate isomerase (tpi) gene, and MLST was performed on 33 assemblage A isolates, targeting six polymorphic markers. The results revealed that assemblage B was most prevalent in humans (59 %), followed by assemblage A (41 %). Among the sub-assemblages, AII was the most frequently identified (37 %), followed by BIII (32 %), and BIV (27 %). Regarding the origin of infection, 30 % were of domestic origin, while 33 % were reported as imported-primarily originating from Africa (48 %) and South-East Asia (22 %). Sub-assemblage AII (46 %) was more common in domestic cases, whereas BIV (42 %) predominated in imported cases. We found a regional clustering of sub-assemblages, with AII frequently identified in Western Norway, BIII in South-Eastern Norway, and BIV in Mid Norway. The MLST analysis of domestic assemblage A isolates demonstrated high genetic variation, identifying 20 distinct MLST types among 21 isolates, including five novel variants. In animals, assemblage E was most common (62 %). This study provides a comprehensive overview of Giardia assemblages in human infections in Norway, offering insights into their genetic diversity. It also underscores the feasibility of employing MLST as a tool to evaluate potential epidemiological links of Giardia assemblage A isolates.</p>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144992457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying antimalarials that disrupt malaria parasite transmission when fed to the mosquito","authors":"Sarah N. Farrell ,&nbsp;Anton Cozijnsen ,&nbsp;Vanessa Mollard ,&nbsp;Papireddy Kancharla ,&nbsp;Rozalia A. Dodean ,&nbsp;Jane X. Kelly ,&nbsp;Geoffrey I. McFadden ,&nbsp;Christopher D. Goodman","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.05.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.05.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A decade-long decline in malaria cases has plateaued, primarily due to parasite drug resistance and mosquito resistance to insecticides used in bed nets and indoor residual spraying. Here, we explore the innovative control strategy targeting <em>Plasmodium</em> with antimalarials during the mosquito stages. This strategy has the potential to reduce the risk of resistance emerging because a relatively small population of parasites within the mosquito is subject to selection. After validating mosquito feeding strategies, we screened a range of parasiticidal compounds by feeding them to mosquitoes already infected with mouse malaria (<em>P. berghei</em>). Three antimalarials showed activity against <em>P. berghei</em> in mosquitoes, apparently targeting specific stages of <em>P. berghei</em> development during transmission. Borrelidin, a threonyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitor, significantly reduced <em>P. berghei</em> sporozoite numbers. Azithromycin, an antibiotic targeting apicoplast protein synthesis, significantly lowered sporozoite infectivity in mice. T111, a next generation compound targeting the parasite electron transport chain, reduced sporozoite numbers in <em>P. berghei</em> at equivalent concentrations to the gold standard electron transport chain inhibitor, atovaquone. T111 also prevented sporozoite production in mosquitoes infected with human malaria, <em>P. falciparum,</em> even after very short exposure times. Encouragingly, T111 remained efficacious after being freeze-dried onto a substrate and later reconstituted with water, suggesting this compound would be effective in easy-to-distribute-and-deploy transmission control devices. Our findings suggest that several antimalarials can be used to target mosquito-stage parasites via sugar baits and limit malaria transmission. Importantly, mosquito feeding of antimalarials could vastly increase the range of potentially useful parasiticidal compounds to include those failing to meet the exacting standards required for human antimalarial drugs, potentially improving malaria control for minimal cost.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 11","pages":"Pages 603-613"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144191757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microinvertebrate consumption rates of Fasciola hepatica miracidia are not affected by alternate food","authors":"Daniel McDowell ,&nbsp;Sarah E. Perkins ,&nbsp;Frank Van Veen ,&nbsp;Joanne Lello","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.05.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.05.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The liver fluke (<em>Fasciola hepatica</em>) is a significant parasite of the global livestock industry, leading to negative economic and animal welfare impacts. Control of <em>F. hepatica</em> is becoming increasingly difficult as many liver fluke populations are developing resistance to commonly used anthelmintics. Additional or alternate control methods are, therefore, required. Microinvertebrates such as those of the order Cyclopoida and subclass Ostracoda are common organisms found in the same aquatic habitats as <em>F. hepatica</em>’s intermediate snail host. We explore whether these microinvertebrates are effective predators of <em>F. hepatica</em> miracidia. We experimentally determined a) the consumption rates of miracidia by the two microinvertebrate groups, b) the form of functional feeding response displayed by each and c) whether inclusion of an alternate food source altered miracidial predation patterns. We find that cyclopoids and ostracods feed on miracidia and that where a statistically supported fit was found, the functional feeding response for both microinvertebrates was type II. Further, miracidial consumption by either microinvertebrate did not decline significantly in the presence of alternate prey. Our results suggest that cyclopoids and ostracods are both effective predators of <em>F. hepatica</em> and therefore have the potential as <em>F. hepatica</em> biocontrol agents. An important next step will be to explore what impact such predation has on the infection dynamics of the adult fluke in the definitive host.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"55 11","pages":"Pages 595-601"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144191758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Future climate change is projected to predominantly suppress the transmission potential of the small ruminant parasite Haemonchus contortus in Africa.","authors":"J H I Tinsley, E R Morgan","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.08.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.08.013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper examines the impact of climate change in Africa on the transmission potential (Q₀) of Haemonchus contortus (H. contortus), a highly pathogenic haematophagous gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasite that has significant implications for the health and productivity of small ruminants. Changes in Q₀ were assessed over the period 1981-2070 under a high emission scenario (RCP 8.5). Climate data was sourced from bias-adjusted Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) models for Africa, which was split into 13 subregions based on areas within each having approximately similar rainfall seasons, which also defines typical periods of H. contortus transmission in Africa. Results indicate that while the transmission potential of H. contortus may increase across some months in the Atlas region and in some high-elevation and coastal areas, Q₀ is more widely projected to decrease across much of Africa. While climate change is not expected to alter the length of the transmission season in most areas of Africa, marginally shorter transmission periods are expected in southern East Africa, the Gulf of Guinea, and the Eastern Sahel, while new periods of transmission are projected to occur in western Southern Africa. Future research should focus on optimising the model for Africa and developing a decision-support tool for farmers, advisors and animal health services that classifies Q₀ by hazard severity and provides tailored management recommendations for each category.</p>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144953053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel Toxoplasma gondii thioredoxin (TgTrx1) is important for parasite fitness and virulence.","authors":"Zhi-Wei Zhang, Meng Wang, Ting-Ting Li, Hany M Elsheikha, Xiao-Jing Wu, Li-Xiu Sun, Bao-Quan Fu, Xing-Quan Zhu, Jin-Lei Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.08.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.08.015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii relies on antioxidant proteins and systems to protect against the host's immune responses and to neutralize free radicals produced by its own metabolism. In this study, we identified and characterized a new thioredoxin protein, TgTrx1, which is mainly found in the cytoplasm of T. gondii tachyzoites and contains a conserved -CXXC- catalytic motif. Using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, we disrupted the TgTrx1 gene to generate a knockout strain (RHΔtrx1) and studied the effect of gene loss on various aspects of the infection process. RHΔtrx1 parasites showed a marked reduction in their ability to invade host cells, secrete microneme proteins, replicate intracellularly, egress from host cells, and tolerate oxidative stress. They also displayed abnormal mitochondrial morphology and asynchronous cell division. Transcriptomic analysis revealed significant changes in the expression of genes involved in oxidative stress response and bradyzoite differentiation. Mice injected intraperitoneally with 10⁶ RHΔtrx1 tachyzoites showed no clinical symptoms. However, the immunity induced by these attenuated tachyzoites conferred only partial protection against subsequent acute and chronic T. gondii infections. This limited protective effect is likely related to the parasite's impaired replication, which may lead to rapid clearance by the host immune system and insufficient antigenic stimulation to elicit a fully protective immune response. These findings establish TgTrx1 as a multifunctional redox protein important for T. gondii survival, redox balance, synchronous cell division, and virulence.</p>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144953043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A dedicated deep learning workflow for automatic Fasciola hepatica and Calicophoron daubneyi egg detection using the Kubic FLOTAC microscope.","authors":"Salvatore Capuozzo, Maria Paola Maurelli, Stefano Marrone, Biase Celano, Giuseppe Martone, Paola Vitiello, Ines Hammami, Antonio Bosco, Lavinia Ciuca, Giuseppe Cringoli, Carlo Sansone, Laura Rinaldi","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.08.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.08.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fasciola hepatica and Calicophoron daubneyi are trematodes with significant health and economic impacts on ruminant livestock farms. An effective and reliable diagnosis is essential to control their spread. To improve copromicroscopic diagnosis, the Kubic FLOTAC Microscope (KFM), a portable digital microscope, was designed for both laboratory and field use. It is based on the use of FLOTAC/Mini-FLOTAC techniques and combines their high sensitivity, accuracy and precision with a reliable system based on an Artificial Intelligence (AI) predictive model. It features automated parasite egg detection, powered by an integrated battery, a web interface for microscope control, and a dedicated AI server for image analysis. In this study, the system was optimized to better discriminate between the eggs of these two parasites through additional processing steps and a robust detection model. Two protocols, egg-spiked samples and naturally infected samples, were used to simulate different sample conditions, creating a dataset for model training and evaluation. A second dataset of field samples, with egg counts verified by optical microscopy, was used to assess performance. The detection performance during the evaluation of samples from both protocols was found to be satisfactory. Specifically, the average fecal egg count, obtained through the clinical report generated by the KFM system, exhibited a mean absolute error of only 8 eggs per sample. This result demonstrates that the KFM is a valuable tool for parasitological diagnosis that supports the livestock industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144953070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Disentangling transport and trophic effects of animal movement on environmental parasite abundance.","authors":"Houssein Samwel Kimaro, Jennifer Mclntyre, Vanessa O Ezenwa, Ricardo M Holdo, Jason Donaldson, J Grant C Hopcraft, Thomas A Morrison","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.08.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.08.014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Migratory wildlife plays an outsized role in disease transmission. Transmission risk is often assumed to be scaled with migratory host density through parasite transport effects, but in environmentally transmitted parasites, migratory hosts can also influence parasite availability via trophic effects. Trophic effects can either amplify or dampen transport effects, making the net impact of migratory hosts on resident hosts difficult to predict. We propose that the net effect is shaped by two attributes of migrant movement: intensity of use (i.e., number of migrants) and duration of use (i.e., length of stay). Using gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) as a model, we experimentally varied transport and trophic effects of a migratory grazer wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) by manipulating the intensity and duration of dung addition and grazing across five treatment combinations in replicated plots, and measuring their effects on the density of infective third-stage GIN larvae in pasture. We found that: (1) higher dung addition increased GIN larvae density, (2) simulated grazing reduced the density of GIN, particularly in treatments with high dung addition, and (3) longer duration and lower intensities of use reduced GIN density for the subsequent hosts compared to treatments with single bouts of dung addition and grazing. Our results indicate that migratory hosts directly facilitate parasite spread via transport effects, while infection risk tends to decline with increasing intensity and duration of trophic interactions. Our results highlight the underappreciated role of transport and trophic interactions in shaping parasite spread in migrant-resident systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144953041","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unexpected intron plasticity and trans-splicing capability suggest spliceosome diversification in the evolutionarily divergent protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis.","authors":"Khatima Mohammadi, Kim Ciennis Houang, Shuqi Edward Wang, John Hunt, Carol Wang, Augusto Simoes-Barbosa","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.08.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.08.011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Spliceosomal introns, distinctive features of eukaryotic genomes, are non-coding sequences excised from pre-mRNAs by the spliceosome, contributing to genome evolution and protein diversity. Although spliceosomal introns have been characterised in several eukaryotic lineages, their origin and evolution remain unresolved. The protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis is a highly divergent eukaryote with a large genome and a rich gene repertoire, but apparently few spliceosomal introns. Following from the discovery of a group of unusually short introns in this organism, we developed here a fluorescent reporter system and combined with extensive mutagenesis to dissect the splicing requirements of these short introns, comparing them to conventional long introns. We found that short introns have reasonable but limited flexibility in their length, including extreme juxtaposition of the branch site and the 3' splice site, which, to our knowledge, is an unprecedented feature among eukaryotic introns. Additionally, they clearly exhibit splice signal features that distinguish them from long introns, including a highly degenerate 5' splice site. Remarkably, we found that T. vaginalis is capable of trans-splicing an endogenous intron that was deliberately split and a naturally split intron from Giardia lamblia, a more distant diplomonad within the same Metamonada supergroup. Collectively, our findings highlight the evolutionary plasticity of RNA splicing systems in divergent eukaryotes, offering new perspectives on splicing mechanisms by the spliceosome.</p>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144953048","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}