Protist diversity and phylogeny

Oxygen metabolism in descendants of the archaeal-eukaryotic ancestor

This study expands the diversity of Asgardarchaeota, revealing metabolic features suggesting aerobic respiration in the Asgard-eukaryotic ancestor.

Absence of endosymbiotic gene transfer in symbiont-bearing diplonemids

The paper analyzes genomes and transcriptomes of Rhynchopus flagellates to assess endosymbiotic gene transfer (EGT) from holosporacean and chlamydiacean symbionts, finding no evidence of recent EGT and highlighting dynamic HGT patterns.

Global Metagenomics Reveals Plastid Diversity and Unexplored Algal Lineages

This study uses global metagenomics to discover new plastid sequences and challenge existing models of plastid evolution in photosynthetic eukaryotes.

DIVERGENT TRAJECTORIES FOR ANAEROBIC MITOCHONDRIAL EVOLUTION IN BREVIATE PROTISTS

This study investigates the evolutionary pathways of anaerobic mitochondrial adaptations in breviate protists by analyzing transcriptomes and predicting MRO proteomes across eight species.

Letter to the Editor regarding "Long-read genome sequencing provides novel insights into the harmful algal bloom species Prymnesium parvum" by Jian et al. (2024)

The paper corrects a strain mislabeling error in a genome sequencing study of Prymnesium parvum, highlighting the need for clade-specific markers.

Phylogeny and morphology of novel Labyrinthulomycetes in Nova Scotia, Canada

The paper describes the phylogenetic and morphological analysis of 17 novel Labyrinthulomycetes strains from Nova Scotia, identifying them as three genera and expanding genetic diversity in Atlantic Canadian waters.

Modern microbialites harbor an undescribed diversity of chromerid algae

The paper identifies a broad, undescribed diversity of chromerid algae in marine and freshwater microbialites, expanding their known ecological range beyond coral associations.

Dominant contribution of Asgard archaea to eukaryogenesis

Constrained-tree hypothesis testing on 4,290 core eukaryotic protein clusters attributes 50% of likelihood weight to Asgard archaea; Alphaproteobacterial ancestry is largely confined to oxidative phosphorylation and iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis.

Two distinct green algal symbionts cohabiting in the Japanese black salamander Hynobius nigrescens

The paper identifies two distinct green algal symbionts in Hynobius nigrescens eggs, belonging to different Oophila subgroups, through phylogenetic and morphological analysis of isolated algal cultures.

Extensive nuclear datasets resolve the phylogeny of siphonous green algae and identify genome duplications as a contributing factor to evolutionary adaptations

The paper presents extensive nuclear genome data for 44 Bryopsidales taxa, resolves their phylogeny, and identifies ancient gene duplications, including potential whole genome duplications, as factors in evolutionary adaptations.

Metatranscriptome data support the existence of two distinct morphotypes in a single parmalean species in natural environments

The paper uses metatranscriptomic data to show that a single parmalean species can express both silicified (S-type) and flagellated (F-type) morphotypes, with distinct environmental triggers and distribution patterns.

Intracellular niche specialisation drives evolutionary entrapment of endosymbiotic algae

This study shows that endosymbiotic algae evolve traits specialized for intracellular niches, reducing their fitness in extracellular environments, thereby stabilizing endosymbiosis through evolutionary entrapment.

The phylogenetic context for the origin of a unique purple-green photosymbiosis

This study investigates the evolutionary history of Pseudoblepharisma tenue to understand the factors limiting the frequency of purple photosymbioses.

Apusomonad photophobic behavior highlights cytoskeletal responses to blue light in early eukaryotes

This study reports photophobic behavior in the apusomonad Podomonas kaiyoae, revealing cytoskeletal responses to blue light involving dynein/tubulin and myosin/actin systems.

A meta-analysis of environmental sequencing data reveals the global distribution and hidden diversity of marine anaerobic ciliates

This study analyzes environmental sequencing data to reveal the global distribution and hidden diversity of marine anaerobic ciliates, identifying many novel lineages.

A new deep-branching environmental lineage of algae

The paper identifies a new deep-branching algal lineage, leptophytes, through metagenomic analysis of Tara Oceans data, revealing hidden plastid genome diversity and evolutionary insights.

Dynamic protrusions mediate unique crawling motility in Asgard Archaea (Promethearchaeota)

This study shows Asgard archaea use dynamic actin-based protrusions for crawling motility, similar to eukaryotic cells, and this process is inhibited by actin inhibitors.

Host-to-symbiont transfer of fatty-acid-derived carbon in the Paramecium bursaria-Chlorella variabilis photosymbiosis

The paper investigates carbon transfer between Paramecium bursaria and its Chlorella symbionts, finding host-to-symbiont carbon transfer rather than the previously assumed algal-to-host direction.

Protists as mediators of complex microbial and viral associations

This study investigates protist-associated microbiomes and viromes using single-cell isolation and metagenomics, revealing unique microbial and viral interactions and their ecological roles.

Metagenomics of the MAST-3 stramenopile, Incisomonas, and its associated microbiome reveals unexpected metabolic attributes and extensive nutrient dependencies

This study uses metagenomics to analyze the genome of Incisomonas marina and its bacterial consortium, revealing its auxotrophy for B vitamins and unexpected metabolic capabilities.

The roles of dispersal limitation and pre-adaptation in shaping Paraburkholderia endosymbiont frequencies in social amoeba communities

This study investigates how dispersal limitation and pre-adaptation influence the distribution of Paraburkholderia endosymbionts in social amoeba communities, finding that dispersal limitation is a major factor.

An Asgard archaeon with internal membrane compartments

This paper identifies an Asgard archaeon with an endomembrane system that changes with cell state, challenging previous views on eukaryogenesis.

Emergent metabolic parasitism driven by organelle sequestration

The paper examines metabolic changes in Mesodinium species, finding that increased photosynthesis leads to reduced metabolic autonomy and loss of key biosynthetic capabilities.

Small phytoplankton community composition cycles annually with a coastal bloom

The paper examines annual cycles in small phytoplankton community composition using 18S rRNA sequencing and flow cytometry data from a coastal site on the Northeast U.S. Shelf, identifying key taxa and seasonal patterns.

Charting the landscape of cytoskeletal diversity in microbial eukaryotes

Ultrastructure expansion microscopy applied to 221 cultured planktonic eukaryotes maps diverse microtubule and centrin-based cytoskeletons, including dinoflagellate apical centrin rings and cryptophyte cortical centrin meshes.

High-temporal resolution of microbial food web dynamics and structure during phytoplankton blooms in the Baltic Sea

The paper uses CARD-FISH and sequencing to study microbial food web dynamics in the Baltic Sea, finding that omnivorous and predatory HNF dominate during phytoplankton blooms.

A novel protistan trait database reveals functional redundancy and complementarity in terrestrial protists (Amoebozoa & Rhizaria)

The paper creates a functional trait database for Amoebozoa and compares it with Cercozoa to reveal ecological roles and functional differences in terrestrial environments.

Description of a new Telonemia genus and species with novel observations providing insights into its hidden diversity

The paper describes two new Telonemia species, highlights morphological and phylogenetic differences, and provides insights into their biology and evolutionary significance.

Soil protist diversity enhances prokaryotic diversity, and regulates dominant prokaryotes and the abundance of key nitrogen cycling genes

This study shows that higher soil protist diversity increases prokaryotic diversity and affects nitrogen cycling genes through selective predation.

Molecular response of the diatom Coscinodiscus granii and its co-occurring dictyochophyte during Lagenisma coscinodisci parasite infection

The paper investigates the molecular responses of the diatom Coscinodiscus granii and its co-occurring dictyochophyte during infection by the oomycete Lagenisma coscinodisci, revealing effector mechanisms and host defense pathways.