DOCSLIB.ORG

Spironucleus Vortens

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Spironucleus Vortens Life cycle, biochemistry and chemotherapy of Spironucleus vortens A thesis submitted for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (Ph.D) by Catrin Ffion Williams April 2013 School of Biosciences Cardiff University Acknowledgements ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project would not have been possible without the help and support of a number of people along the way. Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisors: Dr Joanne Cable for her expert guidance and encouragement throughout the project and Dr Michael Coogan for his invaluable advice in the field of Chemistry. Thank you to my mentor Professor David Lloyd for introducing me to this field and sharing with me his wealth of knowledge, broad-ranging experimental methods and countless humorous anecdotes! Many thanks to both my supervisors and mentor for their patience in reading and correcting the mountain of paperwork I have supplied and for providing me with so many opportunities to collaborate and present my research publicly. Thank you to the EPSRC and Neem Biotech Ltd for funding this PhD. A special thanks to Drs David Williams, Gareth Evans and Robert Saunders (all of Neem Biotech Ltd) for supplying the purified garlic compounds used during this project and for their helpful advice in the nutraceutical field. Many thanks to Cardiff University staff Dr Tony Hayes for his support with confocal microscopy, Professor Eshwar Mahenthiralingam for allowing me to use his lab facilities and Mr Michael O’Reilly for his help with GC-MS analyses. A huge thank you to all the individuals who hosted me at their labs during this project: Dr David Leitsch (Medical University of Vienna) for introducing me to the world of proteomics and repeating my 2DE analyses included in Chapter 5; Professor Nigel Yarlett (Pace University, NY) for his help with HPLC analyses included in Chapter 7 and Dr Miguel Aon (Johns Hopkins University, MD) for assisting me with the spectrofluorometric techniques included in Chapters 6 and 7. Thank you to Dr Daniel Kolarich and Mr Kathrivel Alagesan (both at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Berlin) for running the LC-MS and subsequent mass spectrometric data analysis included in Chapter 5. Thanks also to Dr Sarah Poynton (Johns Hopkins University, MD) and Dr Anders Jørgensen (Norwegian Veterinary Institute) for their contributions towards the morphological and molecular information (respectively) in Chapter 1. A number of undergraduates were involved in the experiments conducted during this PhD: a big thanks to Anna Rita Vacca, Lee Dunham, Iwan Lewis and Michael Osborne for providing a helping hand. Thank you to Dr Coralie Millet, for introducing me to our dear friend “Spiro”, for all her hard work in establishing the Spironucleus vortens culture in our lab and her contribution towards the biological information in Chapter 1. Thanks to Miss Eleanor Sherrard-Smith for her help in calculating the 80/20 rule (Chapter 3) and to Dr Bettina Schelkle for her patience in teaching me the joys of R and for being a friend. To all my friends who have been there for me along the way, especially Vanessa, Alex, Carys and Tina: thank you for keeping my spirits high, I am greatly indebted to you all! Thank you to my family: Mam, Dad, Rhodri and Mamgu Molly. Also to Dadcu Gwilym and Auntie Margaret, I wish you could be here now. You have always believed in me and spurred me on towards success. I hope I have made you proud. Finally, to my partner and best friend Iwan: thank you for being there through the highs and the lows, for your help, encouragement and keeping a smile on my face. Without you none of this would have been possible. i Declaration and Statements DECLARATION AND STATEMENTS DECLARATION This work has not been submitted in substance for any other degree or award at this or any other university or place of learning, nor is being submitted concurrently in candidature for any degree or other award. Signed ……………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 1 This thesis is being submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of PhD. Signed …………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 2 This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by explicit references. The views expressed are my own. Signed …………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 3 I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed …………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 4: PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BAR ON ACCESS I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loans after expiry of a bar on access previously approved by the Academic Standards & Quality Committee. Signed …………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… ii Contents CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... i DECLARATION AND STATEMENTS ......................................................................... ii CONTENTS ...................................................................................................................... iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................... iii LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. ix ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................................... xi PUBLICATIONS ............................................................................................................ xv SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. xviii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1 1.1. OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................ 1 1.2. LIFE CYCLE .......................................................................................................... 3 1.3. TAXONOMY AND IDENTIFICATION ............................................................... 5 1.3.1. Reference Specimens .................................................................................. 5 1.3.2. Morphological Identification ...................................................................... 6 1.3.3. Molecular identification and genetics ....................................................... 10 1.3.4. Phylogeny of Spironucleus ....................................................................... 13 1.4. HOST-PATHOGEN INTERACTIONS ............................................................... 15 1.4.1. Distribution and Host Specificity ............................................................. 15 1.4.2. Pathogenicity in Wild versus Farmed Fish ............................................... 16 1.4.3. Microhabitat Preferences .......................................................................... 18 1.4.4. Pathology and Clinical Manifestation ...................................................... 19 1.5. PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY ............................................................. 21 1.6. DISEASE MANAGEMENT ................................................................................. 25 1.6.1. Treatment .................................................................................................. 25 1.6.2. Preventative Measures .............................................................................. 26 1.6.3. Economical Impact ................................................................................... 27 1.7. CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................... 27 1.8. THESIS AIMS ...................................................................................................... 29 iii Contents 1.9. THESIS HYPOTHESES ....................................................................................... 29 1.10. THESIS LAYOUT ................................................................................................ 30 1.11. REFERENCES ...................................................................................................... 31 CHAPTER 2: GENERAL METHODS ......................................................................... 41 2.1. Fish origin and general maintenance ..................................................................... 41 2.2. Parasite origin and general maintenance ............................................................... 41 2.3. Automated optical cell density monitoring ........................................................... 42 2.4. Determination of protein content .......................................................................... 42 2.5. References ............................................................................................................. 43 CHAPTER 3: Non-invasive estimation of Spironucleus vortens in angelfish provides novel insights on the transmission of this diplomonad parasite .................. 45 3.1. ABSTRACT .........................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • §4-71-6.5 LIST of CONDITIONALLY APPROVED ANIMALS November
    §4-71-6.5 LIST OF CONDITIONALLY APPROVED ANIMALS November 28, 2006 SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME INVERTEBRATES PHYLUM Annelida CLASS Oligochaeta ORDER Plesiopora FAMILY Tubificidae Tubifex (all species in genus) worm, tubifex PHYLUM Arthropoda CLASS Crustacea ORDER Anostraca FAMILY Artemiidae Artemia (all species in genus) shrimp, brine ORDER Cladocera FAMILY Daphnidae Daphnia (all species in genus) flea, water ORDER Decapoda FAMILY Atelecyclidae Erimacrus isenbeckii crab, horsehair FAMILY Cancridae Cancer antennarius crab, California rock Cancer anthonyi crab, yellowstone Cancer borealis crab, Jonah Cancer magister crab, dungeness Cancer productus crab, rock (red) FAMILY Geryonidae Geryon affinis crab, golden FAMILY Lithodidae Paralithodes camtschatica crab, Alaskan king FAMILY Majidae Chionocetes bairdi crab, snow Chionocetes opilio crab, snow 1 CONDITIONAL ANIMAL LIST §4-71-6.5 SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME Chionocetes tanneri crab, snow FAMILY Nephropidae Homarus (all species in genus) lobster, true FAMILY Palaemonidae Macrobrachium lar shrimp, freshwater Macrobrachium rosenbergi prawn, giant long-legged FAMILY Palinuridae Jasus (all species in genus) crayfish, saltwater; lobster Panulirus argus lobster, Atlantic spiny Panulirus longipes femoristriga crayfish, saltwater Panulirus pencillatus lobster, spiny FAMILY Portunidae Callinectes sapidus crab, blue Scylla serrata crab, Samoan; serrate, swimming FAMILY Raninidae Ranina ranina crab, spanner; red frog, Hawaiian CLASS Insecta ORDER Coleoptera FAMILY Tenebrionidae Tenebrio molitor mealworm,
    [Show full text]
  • Introgression and Hybridization in Animal Parasites
    Genes 2010, 1, 102-123; doi:10.3390/genes1010102 OPEN ACCESS genes ISSN 2073-4425 www.mdpi.com/journal/genes Review An Infectious Topic in Reticulate Evolution: Introgression and Hybridization in Animal Parasites Jillian T. Detwiler * and Charles D. Criscione Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA; E-Mail: [email protected] * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-979-845-0925; Fax: +1-979-845-2891. Received: 29 April 2010; in revised form: 7 June 2010 / Accepted: 7 June 2010 / Published: 9 June 2010 Abstract: Little attention has been given to the role that introgression and hybridization have played in the evolution of parasites. Most studies are host-centric and ask if the hybrid of a free-living species is more or less susceptible to parasite infection. Here we focus on what is known about how introgression and hybridization have influenced the evolution of protozoan and helminth parasites of animals. There are reports of genome or gene introgression from distantly related taxa into apicomplexans and filarial nematodes. Most common are genetic based reports of potential hybridization among congeneric taxa, but in several cases, more work is needed to definitively conclude current hybridization. In the medically important Trypanosoma it is clear that some clonal lineages are the product of past hybridization events. Similarly, strong evidence exists for current hybridization in human helminths such as Schistosoma and Ascaris. There remain topics that warrant further examination such as the potential hybrid origin of polyploid platyhelminths.
    [Show full text]
  • Pronunciation Guide to Microorganisms
    Pronunciation Guide to Microorganisms This pronunciation guide is provided to aid each student in acquiring a greater ease in discussing, describing, and using specific microorganisms. Please note that genus and species names are italicized. If they cannot be italicized, then they should be underlined (example: a lab notebook). Prokaryotic Species Correct Pronunciation Acetobacter aceti a-se-toh-BAK-ter a-SET-i Acetobacter pasteurianus a-se-toh-BAK-ter PAS-ter-iann-us Acintobacter calcoacetius a-sin-ee-toe-BAK-ter kal-koh-a-SEE-tee-kus Aerococcus viridans (air-o)-KOK-kus vi-ree-DANS Agrobacterium tumefaciens ag-roh-bak-TEAR-ium too-me-FAY-she-ens Alcaligenes denitrificans al-KAHL-li-jen-eez dee-ni-TREE-fee-cans Alcaligenes faecalis al-KAHL-li-jen-eez fee-KAL-is Anabaena an-na-BEE-na Azotobacter vinelandii a-zoe-toe-BAK-ter vin-lan-DEE-i Bacillus anthracis bah-SIL-lus AN-thray-sis Bacillus lactosporus bah-SIL-lus LAK-toe-spore-us Bacillus megaterium bah-SIL-lus Meg-a-TEER-ee-um Bacillus subtilis bah-SIL-lus SA-til-us Borrelia recurrentis bore-RELL-ee-a re-kur-EN-tis Branhamella catarrhalis bran-hem-EL-ah cat-arr-RAH-lis Citrobacter freundii sit-roe-BACK-ter FROND-ee-i Clostridium perfringens klos-TREH-dee-um per-FRINGE-enz Clostridium sporogenes klos-TREH-dee-um spore-AH-gen-ease Clostridium tetani klos-TREH-dee-um TET-ann-ee Corynebacterium diphtheriae koh-RYNE-nee-back-teer-ee-um dif-THEE-ry-ee Corynebacterium hofmanni koh-RYNE-nee-back-teer-ee-um hoff-MAN-eye Corynebacterium xerosis koh-RYNE-nee-back-teer-ee-um zer-OH-sis Enterobacter
    [Show full text]
  • Sex Is a Ubiquitous, Ancient, and Inherent Attribute of Eukaryotic Life
    PAPER Sex is a ubiquitous, ancient, and inherent attribute of COLLOQUIUM eukaryotic life Dave Speijera,1, Julius Lukešb,c, and Marek Eliášd,1 aDepartment of Medical Biochemistry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; bInstitute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, and Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic; cCanadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 1Z8; and dDepartment of Biology and Ecology, University of Ostrava, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic Edited by John C. Avise, University of California, Irvine, CA, and approved April 8, 2015 (received for review February 14, 2015) Sexual reproduction and clonality in eukaryotes are mostly Sex in Eukaryotic Microorganisms: More Voyeurs Needed seen as exclusive, the latter being rather exceptional. This view Whereas absence of sex is considered as something scandalous for might be biased by focusing almost exclusively on metazoans. a zoologist, scientists studying protists, which represent the ma- We analyze and discuss reproduction in the context of extant jority of extant eukaryotic diversity (2), are much more ready to eukaryotic diversity, paying special attention to protists. We accept that a particular eukaryotic group has not shown any evi- present results of phylogenetically extended searches for ho- dence of sexual processes. Although sex is very well documented mologs of two proteins functioning in cell and nuclear fusion, in many protist groups, and members of some taxa, such as ciliates respectively (HAP2 and GEX1), providing indirect evidence for (Alveolata), diatoms (Stramenopiles), or green algae (Chlor- these processes in several eukaryotic lineages where sex has oplastida), even serve as models to study various aspects of sex- – not been observed yet.
    [Show full text]
  • 3.2.2 Diplomonad (Hexamitid) Flagellates - 1
    3.2.2 Diplomonad (Hexamitid) Flagellates - 1 3.2.2 Diplomonad (Hexamitid) Flagellates: Diplomonadiasis, Hexamitosis, Spironucleosis Sarah L. Poynton Department of Comparative Medicine Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 1-127 Jefferson Building, Johns Hopkins Hospital 600 North Wolfe Street Baltimore, MD 21287 410/502-5065 fax: 443/287-2954 [email protected] [email protected] A. Name of Disease and Etiological Agent Diplomonadiasis or hexamitosis is infection by diplomonad flagellates (Order Diplomonadida, suborder Diplomonadina, Family Hexamitidae). If the exact genus is known, the infections may be reported as hexamitiasis (Hexamita), octomitosis (Octomitus), or spironucleosis (Spironucleus); of these, probably only the latter is applicable to fish (see below). Infections may be reported as localized (commonly in the intestine, and possibly also including “hole-in-the head disease” of cichlids (Paull and Matthews 2001), or disseminated or systemic (Ferguson and Moccia 1980; Kent et al. 1992; Poppe et al. 1992; Sterud et al. 1998). Light microscopy studies have reported three genera from fish - namely Hexamita, Octomitus, and Spironucleus. However, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is needed to confirm genus (Poynton and Sterud 2002), and light microscopy studies are therefore taxonomically unreliable. If TEM is not available, the organisms should be recorded as diplomonad or hexamitid flagellates. All recent comprehensive ultrastructural studies show only the genus Spironucleus infecting fish, and it is probable that this is the genus to which all diplomonads from fish belong (Poynton and Sterud 2002). Some 15 to 20 species of diplomonads have been reported from fish (Poynton and Sterud 2002). However, most descriptions do not include comprehensive surface and internal ultrastructure and thus are incomplete.
    [Show full text]
  • Cyprinus Carpio
    Cyprinus carpio Investigation of infection by some Endo- parasitic Protozoa species in common carp ( Cyprinus carpio ) in AL-Sinn fishfarm 2014 Cyprinus carpio Investigation of infection by some Endo- parasitic Protozoa species in common carp ( Cyprinus carpio ) in AL-Sinn fishfarm 2014 I IV V VI VII 2 1 3 2 3 3 4 4 4 1 4 4 1 1 4 2 4 6 6 1 2 4 6 6 7 8 8 10 12 14 15 15 16 2 2 4 I 16 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 19 Hexamitosis 3 2 4 19 19 20 20 21 21 21 1 3 4 22 23 2 3 4 26 5 26 1 5 27 2 5 28 3 5 29 4 5 29 1 4 5 29 2 4 5 33 3 4 5 II 34 4 4 5 34 5 4 5 36 6 36 1 6 42 2 6 42 Hexamitosis 3 6 43 7 44 8 44 9 49 10 49 1 10 51 2 10 III 5 1 Oocyst 7 2 15 3 11 Merozoites 4 12 5 12 6 13 7 14 8 15 9 Trypanosoma 1 18 10 Trypanoplasma 2 19 11 21 Hexamita 12 23 Hexamita 13 A 28 14 B 30 Cyprinus carpio carpio 15 31 16 33 17 34 18 34 19 35 20 35 21 36 22 IV 40 Goussia carpelli 23 40 Macrogametocyte 24 41 Merozoites 25 37 1 Goussia carpelli 39 2 Goussia 41 3 carpelli Goussia 42 carpelli 4 43 5 Goussia 44 carpelli 6 V Goussia Trypanosoma Trypanoplasma borreli Goussia subepithelialis carpelli Hexamita intestinalis danilewskyi Hexamitosis 200 2013 / 5 / 14 2012 / 6 / 6 Goussia carpelli Goussia subepithelials Nodular Coccidiosis Macrogametocytes Merozoites 3 Goussia carpelli 5.4 1.6 17.6 95.84 17.5 16 Trypanosoma Trypanoplasma borreli Hexamita intestinalis danilewskyi VI Abstract This study aimed at investigating the infection of cultured common carp ( Cyprinus carpio L.
    [Show full text]
  • Selection, Constraint, and Adaptation in the Visual Genes of Neotropical Cichlid Fishes and Other Vertebrates
    SELECTION, CONSTRAINT, AND ADAPTATION IN THE VISUAL GENES OF NEOTROPICAL CICHLID FISHES AND OTHER VERTEBRATES by Frances Elisabeth Hauser A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto © Copyright by Frances E. Hauser 2018 SELECTION, CONSTRAINT, AND ADAPTATION IN THE VISUAL GENES OF NEOTROPICAL CICHLID FISHES AND OTHER VERTEBRATES Frances E. Hauser Doctor of Philosophy, 2018 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto 2018 ABSTRACT The visual system serves as a direct interface between an organism and its environment. Studies of the molecular components of the visual transduction cascade, in particular visual pigments, offer an important window into the relationship between genetic variation and organismal fitness. In this thesis, I use molecular evolutionary models as well as protein modeling and experimental characterization to assess the role of variable evolutionary rates on visual protein function. In Chapter 2, I review recent work on the ecological and evolutionary forces giving rise to the impressive variety of adaptations found in visual pigments. In Chapter 3, I use interspecific vertebrate and mammalian datasets of two visual genes (RH1 or rhodopsin, and RPE65, a retinoid isomerase) to assess different methods for estimating evolutionary rate across proteins and the reliability of inferring evolutionary conservation at individual amino acid sites, with a particular emphasis on sites implicated in impaired protein function. ii In Chapters 4, and 5, I narrow my focus to devote particular attention to visual pigments in Neotropical cichlids, a highly diverse clade of fishes distributed across South and Central America.
    [Show full text]
  • Multigene Eukaryote Phylogeny Reveals the Likely Protozoan Ancestors of Opis- Thokonts (Animals, Fungi, Choanozoans) and Amoebozoa
    Accepted Manuscript Multigene eukaryote phylogeny reveals the likely protozoan ancestors of opis- thokonts (animals, fungi, choanozoans) and Amoebozoa Thomas Cavalier-Smith, Ema E. Chao, Elizabeth A. Snell, Cédric Berney, Anna Maria Fiore-Donno, Rhodri Lewis PII: S1055-7903(14)00279-6 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2014.08.012 Reference: YMPEV 4996 To appear in: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution Received Date: 24 January 2014 Revised Date: 2 August 2014 Accepted Date: 11 August 2014 Please cite this article as: Cavalier-Smith, T., Chao, E.E., Snell, E.A., Berney, C., Fiore-Donno, A.M., Lewis, R., Multigene eukaryote phylogeny reveals the likely protozoan ancestors of opisthokonts (animals, fungi, choanozoans) and Amoebozoa, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (2014), doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.ympev.2014.08.012 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. 1 1 Multigene eukaryote phylogeny reveals the likely protozoan ancestors of opisthokonts 2 (animals, fungi, choanozoans) and Amoebozoa 3 4 Thomas Cavalier-Smith1, Ema E. Chao1, Elizabeth A. Snell1, Cédric Berney1,2, Anna Maria 5 Fiore-Donno1,3, and Rhodri Lewis1 6 7 1Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
    [Show full text]
  • Ancistrus Dolichopterus) in Aquarium Conditions
    LIMNOFISH-Journal of Limnology and Freshwater Fisheries Research 6(3): 231-237 (2020) A Preliminary Study on Reproduction and Development of Bushymouth Catfish (Ancistrus dolichopterus) in Aquarium Conditions Mustafa DENİZ1* , T. Tansel TANRIKUL2 , Onur KARADAL3 , Ezgi DİNÇTÜRK2 F. Rabia KARADUMAN 1 1Department of Aquaculture, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University, 35620, Çiğli, İzmir, Turkey 2Department of Fish Diseases, Faculty of Fisheries, İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University, 35620, Çiğli, İzmir, Turkey 3Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University, 35620, Çiğli, İzmir, Turkey ABSTRACT ARTICLE INFO Dwarf suckermouth catfish are preferred especially for small aquariums. They are RESEARCH ARTICLE usually referred to as tank cleaners and commonly traded in the ornamental fish sector. Since these fish are nocturnal, it is difficult to observe their reproductive Received : 28.02.2020 behavior and larval development. This study was carried out to determine the Revised : 05.06.2020 reproductive variables of bushymouth catfish (Ancistrus dolichopterus) under aquarium conditions. Three broodstocks bushymouth catfish with an average Accepted : 09.06.2020 initial weight and a total length of 10.5±0.3 g and 9.5±0.2 cm were stocked in Published : 29.12.2020 three 240-L aquariums with the ratio of 1:2 (male: female). The observations were made in triplicate tanks for six months. Females laid an average of 39.78±0.41 DOI:10.17216/LimnoFish.695413 eggs and fertilization and hatching rates were 75.05% and 62.94%, respectively. It was found that the transition time from egg to apparently larval stage was * CORRESPONDING AUTHOR 105.28 h, and bushymouth catfish showed an indistinguishable development from [email protected] the hatching to juvenile stage without a real larval transition stage.
    [Show full text]
  • Superorganisms of the Protist Kingdom: a New Level of Biological Organization
    Foundations of Science https://doi.org/10.1007/s10699-020-09688-8 Superorganisms of the Protist Kingdom: A New Level of Biological Organization Łukasz Lamża1 © The Author(s) 2020 Abstract The concept of superorganism has a mixed reputation in biology—for some it is a conveni- ent way of discussing supra-organismal levels of organization, and for others, little more than a poetic metaphor. Here, I show that a considerable step forward in the understand- ing of superorganisms results from a thorough review of the supra-organismal levels of organization now known to exist among the “unicellular” protists. Limiting the discussion to protists has enormous advantages: their bodies are very well studied and relatively sim- ple (as compared to humans or termites, two standard examples in most discussions about superorganisms), and they exhibit an enormous diversity of anatomies and lifestyles. This allows for unprecedented resolution in describing forms of supra-organismal organiza- tion. Here, four criteria are used to diferentiate loose, incidental associations of hosts with their microbiota from “actual” superorganisms: (1) obligatory character, (2) specifc spatial localization of microbiota, (3) presence of attachment structures and (4) signs of co-evolu- tion in phylogenetic analyses. Three groups—that have never before been described in the philosophical literature—merit special attention: Symbiontida (also called Postgaardea), Oxymonadida and Parabasalia. Specifcally, it is argued that in certain cases—for Bihos- pites bacati and Calkinsia aureus (symbiontids), Streblomastix strix (an oxymonad), Joe- nia annectens and Mixotricha paradoxa (parabasalids) and Kentrophoros (a ciliate)—it is fully appropriate to describe the whole protist-microbiota assocation as a single organism (“superorganism”) and its elements as “tissues” or, arguably, even “organs”.
    [Show full text]
  • Protist Phylogeny and the High-Level Classification of Protozoa
    Europ. J. Protistol. 39, 338–348 (2003) © Urban & Fischer Verlag http://www.urbanfischer.de/journals/ejp Protist phylogeny and the high-level classification of Protozoa Thomas Cavalier-Smith Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK; E-mail: [email protected] Received 1 September 2003; 29 September 2003. Accepted: 29 September 2003 Protist large-scale phylogeny is briefly reviewed and a revised higher classification of the kingdom Pro- tozoa into 11 phyla presented. Complementary gene fusions reveal a fundamental bifurcation among eu- karyotes between two major clades: the ancestrally uniciliate (often unicentriolar) unikonts and the an- cestrally biciliate bikonts, which undergo ciliary transformation by converting a younger anterior cilium into a dissimilar older posterior cilium. Unikonts comprise the ancestrally unikont protozoan phylum Amoebozoa and the opisthokonts (kingdom Animalia, phylum Choanozoa, their sisters or ancestors; and kingdom Fungi). They share a derived triple-gene fusion, absent from bikonts. Bikonts contrastingly share a derived gene fusion between dihydrofolate reductase and thymidylate synthase and include plants and all other protists, comprising the protozoan infrakingdoms Rhizaria [phyla Cercozoa and Re- taria (Radiozoa, Foraminifera)] and Excavata (phyla Loukozoa, Metamonada, Euglenozoa, Percolozoa), plus the kingdom Plantae [Viridaeplantae, Rhodophyta (sisters); Glaucophyta], the chromalveolate clade, and the protozoan phylum Apusozoa (Thecomonadea, Diphylleida). Chromalveolates comprise kingdom Chromista (Cryptista, Heterokonta, Haptophyta) and the protozoan infrakingdom Alveolata [phyla Cilio- phora and Miozoa (= Protalveolata, Dinozoa, Apicomplexa)], which diverged from a common ancestor that enslaved a red alga and evolved novel plastid protein-targeting machinery via the host rough ER and the enslaved algal plasma membrane (periplastid membrane).
    [Show full text]
  • Summary Report of Freshwater Nonindigenous Aquatic Species in U.S
    Summary Report of Freshwater Nonindigenous Aquatic Species in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 4—An Update April 2013 Prepared by: Pam L. Fuller, Amy J. Benson, and Matthew J. Cannister U.S. Geological Survey Southeast Ecological Science Center Gainesville, Florida Prepared for: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia Cover Photos: Silver Carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix – Auburn University Giant Applesnail, Pomacea maculata – David Knott Straightedge Crayfish, Procambarus hayi – U.S. Forest Service i Table of Contents Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... ii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................ v List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................ vi INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Overview of Region 4 Introductions Since 2000 ....................................................................................... 1 Format of Species Accounts ...................................................................................................................... 2 Explanation of Maps ................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]