Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Editor's message","authors":"Joel B. Dacks","doi":"10.1111/jeu.13054","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jeu.13054","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15672,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology","volume":"71 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jeu.13054","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141901930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular phylogeny of the Lecudinoidea (Apicomplexa): A major group of marine gregarines with diverse shapes, movements and hosts","authors":"Eunji Park,&nbsp;Brian S. Leander","doi":"10.1111/jeu.13053","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jeu.13053","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Gregarine apicomplexans are ubiquitous endosymbionts of invertebrate hosts. Despite their ecological and evolutionary importance, inferences about the phylogenetic relationships of major gregarine groups, such as the Lecudinidae and Urosporidae, have been hindered by vague taxonomic definitions and limited molecular and morphological data. In this study, we investigated five gregarine species collected from four families of polychaete hosts (Nereididae, Oenonidae, Hesionidae, and Phyllodocidae) using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We also generated small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences from these species and conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses to elucidate the evolutionary relationships within the Lecudinoidea. Our results include new molecular and morphological data for two previously described species (<i>Lecudina</i> cf. <i>platynereidis</i> and <i>Lecudina</i> cf. <i>arabellae</i>), the discovery of a new species of <i>Lecudina</i> (<i>L. oxydromus</i> n. sp.), and the discovery of two novel species, namely <i>Amplectina cordis</i> n. gen. et. n. sp. and <i>Sphinctocystis inclina</i> n. sp. These two species exhibited unique shapes and movements, resembling those of urosporids but with a phylogenetic affinity to lecudinids, blurring the border between lecudinids and urosporids. Our study emphasizes the need for further investigations into this highly diverse group, which has achieved great success across multiple animal phyla with diverse shapes and movements.</p>","PeriodicalId":15672,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology","volume":"71 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jeu.13053","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141906774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nosema bombycis: A remarkable unicellular parasite infecting insects","authors":"Qingyuan Huang,&nbsp;Wanying Hu,&nbsp;Xianzhi Meng,&nbsp;Jie Chen,&nbsp;Guoqing Pan","doi":"10.1111/jeu.13045","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jeu.13045","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Microsporidia are opportunistic fungal-like pathogens that cause microsporidiosis, which results in significant economic losses and threatens public health. Infection of domesticated silkworms by the microsporidium <i>Nosema bombycis</i> causes pébrine disease, for which this species of microsporidia has received much attention. Research has been conducted extensively on this microsporidium over the past few decades to better understand its infection, transmission, host–parasite interaction, and detection. Several tools exist to study this species including the complete genome sequence of <i>N. bombycis</i>. In addition to the understanding of <i>N. bombycis</i> being important for the silkworm industry, this species has become a model organism for studying microsporidia. Research on biology of <i>N. bombycis</i> will contribute to the development of knowledge regarding microsporidia and potential antimicrosporidia drugs. Furthermore, this will provide insight into the molecular evolution and functioning of other fungal pathogens.</p>","PeriodicalId":15672,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology","volume":"71 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141878831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Life cycle strategies in free-living unicellular eukaryotes: Diversity, evolution, and current molecular tools to unravel the private life of microorganisms","authors":"Iris Rizos,&nbsp;Miguel J. Frada,&nbsp;Lucie Bittner,&nbsp;Fabrice Not","doi":"10.1111/jeu.13052","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jeu.13052","url":null,"abstract":"<p>An astonishing range of morphologies and life strategies has arisen across the vast diversity of protists, allowing them to thrive in most environments. In model protists, like <i>Tetrahymena</i>, <i>Dictyostelium</i>, or <i>Trypanosoma</i>, life cycles involving multiple life stages with different morphologies have been well characterized. In contrast, knowledge of the life cycles of free-living protists, which primarily consist of uncultivated environmental lineages, remains largely fragmentary. Various life stages and lineage-specific cellular innovations have been observed in the field for uncultivated protists, but such innovations generally lack functional characterization and have unknown physiological and ecological roles. In the actual state of knowledge, evidence of sexual processes is confirmed for 20% of free-living protist lineages. Nevertheless, at the onset of eukaryotic diversification, common molecular trends emerged to promote genetic recombination, establishing sex as an inherent feature of protists. Here, we review protist life cycles from the viewpoint of life cycle transitions and genetics across major eukaryotic lineages. We focus on the scarcely observed sexual cycle of free-living protists, summarizing evidence for its existence and describing key genes governing its progression, as well as, current methods for studying the genetics of sexual cycles in both cultivable and uncultivated protist groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":15672,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology","volume":"71 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jeu.13052","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141859978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genomics and phylogenetic relationships of microsporidia and their relatives","authors":"Lilith R. South,&nbsp;Vedprakash G. Hurdeal,&nbsp;Naomi M. Fast","doi":"10.1111/jeu.13051","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jeu.13051","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Microsporidia are intracellular parasites that all possess a unique infection apparatus involving a polar tube. Upon contact with a host cell, this tube forms the conduit through which the parasite enters the host. Infecting mostly animals, microsporidian species can be transmitted vertically or horizontally, and exert various effects on their hosts: infections range from being relatively benign to lethal. Microsporidian genomes possess highly divergent sequences and are often substantially reduced in size. Their divergent sequences and unique morphology created early challenges to our understanding of their phylogenetic position within the tree of eukaryotes. Over the last couple of decades, advances in both sequencing technology and phylogenetic methodology supported a clear relationship between microsporidia and fungi. However, the specifics of this relationship were muddied by the lack of known microsporidian relatives. With increased taxon discovery and the morphological and molecular characterization of microsporidia-like taxa, rozellids and aphelids, a better resolved picture is emerging. Here we review the history of microsporidian taxonomy and current status of genomics of microsporidia and their nearest relatives, with an aim to understand their morphological and metabolic differences, along with their evolutionary relationships.</p>","PeriodicalId":15672,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology","volume":"71 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jeu.13051","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141855648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Methionine aminopeptidases: Potential therapeutic target for microsporidia and other microbes","authors":"Bhaskar C. Das,&nbsp;Parthiban Chokkalingam,&nbsp;Mohammed Adil Shareef,&nbsp;Srushti Shukla,&nbsp;Sasmita Das,&nbsp;Mariko Saito,&nbsp;Louis M. Weiss","doi":"10.1111/jeu.13036","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jeu.13036","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Methionine aminopeptidases (MetAPs) have emerged as a target for medicinal chemists in the quest for novel therapeutic agents for treating cancer, obesity, and other disorders. Methionine aminopeptidase is a metalloenzyme with two structurally distinct forms in humans, MetAP-1 and MetAP-2. The MetAP2 inhibitor fumagillin, which was used as an amebicide in the 1950s, has been used for the successful treatment of microsporidiosis in humans; however, it is no longer commercially available. Despite significant efforts and investments by many pharmaceutical companies, no new MetAP inhibitors have been approved for the clinic. Several lead compounds have been designed and synthesized by researchers as potential inhibitors of MetAP and evaluated for their potential activity in a wide range of diseases. MetAP inhibitors such as fumagillin, TNP-470, beloranib, and reversible inhibitors and their analogs guide new prospects for MetAP inhibitor development in the ongoing quest for new pharmacological indications. This perspective provides insights into recent advances related to MetAP, as a potential therapeutic target in drug discovery, bioactive small molecule MetAP2 inhibitors, and data on the role of MetAP-2 as a therapeutic target for microsporidiosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":15672,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology","volume":"71 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141734307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Host cell manipulation by microsporidia secreted effectors: Insights into intracellular pathogenesis","authors":"Liyuan Tang,&nbsp;Musa Makongoro Sabi,&nbsp;Ming Fu,&nbsp;Jingyu Guan,&nbsp;Yongliang Wang,&nbsp;Tian Xia,&nbsp;Kai Zheng,&nbsp;Hongnan Qu,&nbsp;Bing Han","doi":"10.1111/jeu.13029","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jeu.13029","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Microsporidia are prolific producers of effector molecules, encompassing both proteins and nonproteinaceous effectors, such as toxins, small RNAs, and small peptides. These secreted effectors play a pivotal role in the pathogenicity of microsporidia, enabling them to subvert the host's innate immunity and co-opt metabolic pathways to fuel their own growth and proliferation. However, the genomes of microsporidia, despite falling within the size range of bacteria, exhibit significant reductions in both structural and physiological features, thereby affecting the repertoire of secretory effectors to varying extents. This review focuses on recent advances in understanding how microsporidia modulate host cells through the secretion of effectors, highlighting current challenges and proposed solutions in deciphering the complexities of microsporidial secretory effectors.</p>","PeriodicalId":15672,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology","volume":"71 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141731252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphology, behavior, and phylogenomics of Oxytoxum lohmannii, Dinoflagellata","authors":"Elizabeth C. Cooney,&nbsp;Dean M. Jacobson,&nbsp;Gordon V. Wolfe,&nbsp;Kelley J. Bright,&nbsp;Juan F. Saldarriaga,&nbsp;Patrick J. Keeling,&nbsp;Brian S. Leander,&nbsp;Suzanne L. Strom","doi":"10.1111/jeu.13050","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jeu.13050","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Dinoflagellates are an abundant and diverse group of protists representing a wealth of unique biology and ecology. While many dinoflagellates are photosynthetic or mixotrophic, many taxa are heterotrophs, often with complex feeding strategies. Compared to their photosynthetic counterparts, heterotrophic dinoflagellates remain understudied, as they are difficult to culture. One exception, a long-cultured isolate originally classified as <i>Amphidinium</i> but recently reclassified as <i>Oxytoxum</i>, has been the subject of a number of feeding, growth, and chemosensory studies. This lineage was recently determined to be closely related to <i>Prorocentrum</i> using phylogenetics of ribosomal RNA gene sequences, but the exact nature of this relationship remains unresolved. Using transcriptomes sequenced from culture and three single cells from the environment, we produce a robust phylogeny of 242 genes, revealing <i>Oxytoxum</i> is likely sister to the <i>Prorocentrum</i> clade, rather than nested within it. Molecular investigations uncover evidence of a reduced, nonphotosynthetic plastid and proteorhodopsin, a photoactive proton pump acquired horizontally from bacteria. We describe the ultrastructure of <i>O. lohmannii</i>, including densely packed trichocysts, and a new type of mucocyst. We observe that <i>O. lohmannii</i> feeds preferentially on cryptophytes using myzocytosis, but can also feed on various phytoflagellates using conventional phagocytosis. <i>O. lohmannii</i> is amenable to culture, providing an opportunity to better study heterotrophic dinoflagellate biology and feeding ecology.</p>","PeriodicalId":15672,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology","volume":"71 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jeu.13050","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141633600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New insights into Microsporidia polar tube function and invasion mechanism","authors":"Maurine Fayet,&nbsp;Mengxian Long,&nbsp;Bing Han,&nbsp;Abdel Belkorchia,&nbsp;Frédéric Delbac,&nbsp;Valerie Polonais","doi":"10.1111/jeu.13043","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jeu.13043","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Microsporidia comprise a large phylum of single-cell and obligate intracellular parasites that can infect a wide range of invertebrate and vertebrate hosts including humans. These fungal-related parasites are characterized by a highly reduced genome, a strong energy dependence on their host, but also by their unique invasion organelle known as the polar tube which is coiled within the resistant spore. Upon appropriate environmental stimulation, the long hollow polar tube (ranging from 50 to 500 μm in length) is extruded at ultra-fast speeds (300 μm/s) from the spore acting as a harpoon-like organelle to transport and deliver the infectious material or sporoplasm into the host cell. To date, seven polar tube proteins (PTPs) with distinct localizations along the extruded polar tube have been described. For example, the specific location of PTP4 and PTP7 at the tip of the polar tube supports their role in interacting with cellular receptor(s). This chapter provides a brief overview on the current understanding of polar tube structure and dynamics of extrusion, primarily through recent advancements in cryo-tomography and 3D reconstruction. It also explores the various mechanisms used for host cell invasion. Finally, recent studies on the structure and maturation of sporoplasm and its moving through the tube are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":15672,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology","volume":"71 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141554871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphological and molecular characterization of Eimeria magna infecting local rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Alkarg City, Saudi Arabia","authors":"Mutee Murshed,&nbsp;Mohammed Mares,&nbsp;Hossam M. A. Aljawdah,&nbsp;Osama B. Mohammed,&nbsp;Saleh Al-Quraishy","doi":"10.1111/jeu.13044","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jeu.13044","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Coccidiosis is one of the most prevalent diseases found in local rabbits (<i>Oryctolagus cuniculus</i>), which is caused by the <i>Eimeria</i>. The study aimed to more reliably identify <i>Eimeria</i> species (<i>Eimeria magna</i>) infecting Local Rabbits in Alkarg City, Saudi Arabia, based the method on the molecular properties and morphological and molecular biological techniques. Sub-spheroidal oocysts measuring 21–27 × 12–16 (24 × 14.4) μm (20 n) and with a length/width (L/W) ratio of 0.9–1.1 (1.0) were identified by microscopic analysis of a fecal sample. Oocysts feature a bi-layered wall that is 1.0–1.2 (1.1) μm thick. About two-thirds of the wall's thickness is made up of a smooth outer layer. A polar granule is present, but neither a micropyle nor an oocyst residuum is present. The ovoidal sporozoites measure 15–18 × 8–11 (16.5 × 9.5) μm, have an L/W ratio of 1.6–1.8 (1.7), and take up around 21% of the oocyst's total surface. The mean size of the sub-Stieda body is 1.4 × 2.3 μm, while the average size of the Stieda body is 0.9 × 1.8 μm. The para-Stieda body is lacking. Sporocyst residuum appears membrane-bound and has an uneven form made up of several granules. With two refractile bodies below the striations and pronounced striations at the more pointed end, sporozoites are vermiform, measuring an average of 11.6 × 4.0 μm. The results of the sequencing for the 18S rDNA gene confirmed the species of Eimeria parasites found in the host (rabbits). The current parasite species is closely related to the previously described and deposited <i>E. magna</i> and deeply embedded in the genus <i>Eimeria</i> (family Eimeriidae). According to the findings, single oocyst molecular identification of <i>Eimeria</i> may be accomplished through consistent use of the morphological and molecular results. It is possible to draw the conclusion that the current research supplies relevant facts that help assess the potential infection and future control measures against rabbit coccidiosis to reduce the financial losses that can be incurred by the rabbit industry in Saudi Arabia.</p>","PeriodicalId":15672,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology","volume":"71 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141498207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}