Protist diversity and phylogeny

Sexual life cycle establishes the unicellular red algae Cyanidiophyceae as a genetically tractable model lineage for eukaryotic evolution

The paper identifies sexual life cycles in Cyanidiophyceae algae, develops genetic tools, and reveals phase-specific epigenetic regulation, positioning them as a model for eukaryotic evolution.

Distinct genomic adaptations of the methanogenic archaeal genus Methanocorpusculum to symbiosis with animals and protists

This study compares genomic adaptations of Methanocorpusculum archaea in animal and protist hosts, revealing distinct evolutionary strategies shaped by host-specific selective pressures.

Origins of eukaryotic metabolism

This study investigates the prokaryotic origins of eukaryotic genes related to metabolism and informational processing, revealing archaeal contributions to metabolic enzymes and lipid metabolism genes.

A Cross-Trophic Amoebozoan Predator Consumes Trophozoites and Cysts of Naegleria and Acanthamoeba

This study shows Mayorella spp. consumes various prey types, including other amoebae, and exhibits trophic plasticity, suggesting a significant role in microbial food webs.

The morphology and small subunit rDNA gene phylogeny of the novel goniomonad genus Ebisugoniomonas and two novel Poseidogoniomonas species

This study describes a new goniomonad genus and two species, updates the SSU rDNA phylogeny, and reports cellular features of goniomonads.

Regulatory innovation and transcriptome turnover drive the evolution of multicellularity in brown algae

This study uses transcriptomic data from brown algae to show that regulatory evolution drives multicellular innovation despite conserved genome architecture.

Probing the genomic and proteomic basis of encystment in Oxytricha granulifera

This study provides the first multi-omics analysis of encystment in Oxytricha granulifera, revealing mechanisms of dormancy through genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data.

A deep genetic structure phylogenomically frames the closest algal relatives of land plants

The paper sequences 43 new transcriptomes of Zygnematophyceae algae and builds a phylogenomic tree, revealing deep genetic structure and ancient radiations within this algal class.

Cellular remodeling during photosymbiosis establishment revealed by single-cell dual proteomics

This study uses single-cell dual proteomics to reveal cellular remodeling during photosymbiosis establishment in Paramecium and Chlorella.

Single-cell sequencing reveals genome streamlining and functional diversity in ecologically dominant marine protists

The paper generates single-cell genomes from marine protists to reveal genome streamlining and functional diversity in ecologically dominant species.

Systematic comparisons between long-read and short-read based amplicon sequencing to characterize mixed microalgal communities.

This study compares short-read and long-read amplicon sequencing for microalgal community analysis, finding long-reads better capture species-level diversity while short-reads detect grazing pressure indicators.

Inferring evolutionary relationships among Crenotia species (Bacillariophyta): Evidence from natural populations and monoclonal strains from Slovakia

This study uses molecular and morphological data to clarify the phylogenetic relationships of three Crenotia species, showing their monophyly and distinct interspecific relationships.

The Anaeramoeba symbiosome: a single contiguous organelle that doubles the cell's membrane surface

This study characterizes the symbiosome in Anaeramoeba flamelloides, revealing it as a single interconnected membrane organelle with extensive extracellular connections.

Diel remodeling and cellular integration of the nitroplast

The paper investigates the cellular integration and diel remodeling of the nitroplast in Braarudosphaera bigelowii, revealing its structural interactions and dynamic membrane changes.

Phylogenomics of Asgard archaea reveals a unique blend of prokaryotic-like horizontal transfer and eukaryotic-like gene duplication.

This study analyzes Asgard archaea genomes to determine the roles of horizontal gene transfer and gene duplication in their evolution, finding gene duplication drives genome size increase.

Re-evaluating the eukaryotic Tree of Life with independent phylogenomic data

The paper re-evaluates the eukaryotic Tree of Life using an independent phylogenomic dataset, finding different placements for some lineages and supporting a small number of high-rank supergroup lineages.

Exogenous lipid vesicles induce endocytosis-mediated cellular aggregation in a close unicellular relative of animals

The paper identifies lipid cues and endocytosis as key drivers of aggregation in Capsaspora owczarzaki, shedding light on evolutionary mechanisms and parasite transmission.

Semi-permeable capsules enable parallel cultivation and live microscopic observations of microbial eukaryotes

This paper demonstrates that semi-permeable capsules can sustain and observe eukaryotes from eight supergroups, enabling parallel cultivation and microscopic analysis.

Protist quantitative stable isotope probing identifies diverse active grazers in natural freshwater communities

The paper uses quantitative stable isotope probing to identify active protist grazers in freshwater communities, showing diverse taxa incorporate prey biomass across different sites.

Clade dynamics support an early origin of crown eukaryotes

This study challenges the late origin of crown eukaryotes by showing that evolutionary dynamics require an earlier last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA) to explain observed diversity and fossil records.

Diatom Endosymbionts have Shrinking but Stable Genomes Despite Low Coding Density

This study examines genome reduction in diatom endosymbionts, finding key gene losses and positive selection in nitrogen fixation genes, suggesting early stages of integration with hosts.

The evolution of gene functional repertoire in Amorphea: Divergent strategies across Amoebozoa, Fungi, and Metazoa.

This study analyzes gene functional repertoires across Amoebozoa, Fungi, and Metazoa to reveal distinct evolutionary trajectories, showing Amoebozoa retained ancestral gene functions while Fungi and Metazoa specialized in metabolism and multicellularity.

Discovery of new marine species Stentor hondawara and its whole-genome reveal their unique ecology in comparison with freshwater stentors

This paper describes the discovery of a new marine Stentor species, Stentor hondawara, and reports its whole-genome analysis revealing unique ecological adaptations compared to freshwater Stentor species.

Dynamic changes of protist community composition along a surface water-groundwater transect in the Danube wetland Lobau, Vienna, Austria

The paper examines protist community dynamics in surface water and shallow groundwater of the Danube wetland, revealing seasonal differences and environmental influences on community composition.

An accessible transfection protocol for choanoflagellates

This paper presents an in-house electroporation buffer for choanoflagellates that achieves transfection efficiency comparable to proprietary buffers, increasing accessibility for genetic research.

Structure-based inference of eukaryotic complexity in Asgard archaea

This study identifies 908 new isomorphic eukaryotic signature proteins in Asgard archaea, suggesting their ancestor was more complex than previously thought.

Phylogenomic placement and morphological description of a novel phagotrophic euglenid from Hawaii: Hokulea waialensis n. gen. et sp.

The paper describes a new euglenid species, Hokulea waialensis, and places it phylogenomically within the ploeotid group using single-cell sequencing and phylogenetic analysis.

Looks can be deceiving: discordances in phylogeny and morphology within loricate choanoflagellates

The paper examines two new loricate choanoflagellate strains that show morphological discrepancies with their genetic relatives, challenging current taxonomic classifications based on morphology.

Phylogeny, morphology, and behavior of the new ciliate species Stentor stipatus

The paper describes a new ciliate species, Stentor stipatus, and reports its phylogenetic, morphological, ecological, and behavioral characteristics.

Analysis of microalgae autofluorescence using full-spectrum cytometry to discriminate and monitor microalgae and bacteria

The paper uses full-spectrum cytometry to analyze microalgae and bacteria by their autofluorescence, revealing taxonomic differences and interactions affecting pigment signatures.