DOCSLIB.ORG

<I>Hematodinium Perezi</I>

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
<I>Hematodinium Perezi</I> Old Dominion University ODU Digital Commons Biological Sciences Faculty Publications Biological Sciences 2019 Parasitic Dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi Prevalence in Larval and Juvenile Blue Crabs Callinectes sapidus from Coastal Bays of Virginia H. J. Small J. P. Huchin-Mian K. S. Reece K. M. Pagenkopp Lohan Mark J. Butler IV Old Dominion University, [email protected] See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/biology_fac_pubs Part of the Biology Commons, Marine Biology Commons, and the Parasitology Commons Original Publication Citation Small, H. J., Huchin-Mian, J. P., Reece, K. S., Lohan, K. M. P., Butler, M. J., & Shields, J. D. (2019). Parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi prevalence in larval and juvenile blue crabs Callinectes sapidus from coastal bays of Virginia. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 134(3), 215-222. doi:10.3354/dao03371 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Biological Sciences at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biological Sciences Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Authors H. J. Small, J. P. Huchin-Mian, K. S. Reece, K. M. Pagenkopp Lohan, Mark J. Butler IV, and J. D. Shields This article is available at ODU Digital Commons: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/biology_fac_pubs/391 Vol. 134: 215–222, 2019 DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS Published online June 6 https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03371 Dis Aquat Org OPENPEN ACCESSCCESS Parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi prevalence in larval and juvenile blue crabs Callinectes sapidus from coastal bays of Virginia H. J. Small1,*, J. P. Huchin-Mian1,3, K. S. Reece1, K. M. Pagenkopp Lohan1,4, M. J. Butler IV2, J. D. Shields1 1Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, PO Box 1346, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA 2Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA 3Present address: Department of Biology, Division of Natural and Exact Sciences, University of Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, Guanajuato 36050, Mexico 4Present address: Marine Disease Ecology Laboratory, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD 21037, USA ABSTRACT: The parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi infects the American blue crab Callinectes sapidus and other decapods along the Eastern seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of the USA. Large juvenile and adult blue crabs experience high mortality during seasonal out- breaks of H. perezi, but less is known about its presence in the early life history stages of this host. We determined the prevalence of H. perezi in megalopae and early benthic juvenile crabs from multiple locations along the Virginia portion of the Delmarva Peninsula. The DNA of H. perezi was not detected in any megalopae collected from several locations within the oceanic coastal bay complex in which H. perezi is found at high prevalence levels. However, prevalence levels were high in early benthic juveniles from 2 oceanic coastal embayments: South Bay and Cobb Bay. Prevalence levels were lower at locations within Chesapeake Bay, including Cherrystone Creek, Hungars Creek, and Pungoteague Creek. Sampling over different seasons and several consecu- tive years indicates that disease transmission occurs rapidly after megalopae settle in high-salinity bays along the Delmarva Peninsula during the late summer and fall. Infected juvenile crabs can overwinter with the parasite and, when subjected to increasing water temperatures in spring, infections progress rapidly, culminating in transmission to other crabs in late spring and early summer. In high-salinity embayments, H. perezi can reach high prevalence levels and may signif- icantly affect recruitment of juvenile blue crabs into the adult fishery. KEY WORDS: Dinoflagellate · Parasite · Crustacea · Endemic · Infection 1. INTRODUCTION USA. Fishing pressure and habitat loss contribute greatly to those declines, but disease and environmen- The blue crab Callinectes sapidus is an abundant, tal processes affecting blue crab populations have not highly mobile, benthic predator with a complex life been thoroughly researched, although both have con- history. The species is distributed from Nova Scotia tributed to declines and changes in population cycles (Canada) to Brazil (Williams 1984) and supports eco- in other crustacean fisheries (Shields 2012). In parti - nomically important fisheries along the Eastern cular, few studies have examined the effects of patho- seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of the USA. In the gens upon settlement of postlarvae or new recruits, yet last decade, however, there have been major declines pathogens are often most prevalent in and damaging in harvest yields of many blue crab fisheries in the to the early juvenile stages of crustaceans. © The authors 2019. Open Access under Creative Commons by *Corresponding author: [email protected] Attribution Licence. Use, distribution and reproduction are un - restricted. Authors and original publication must be credited. Publisher: Inter-Research · www.int-res.com 216 Dis Aquat Org 134: 215–222, 2019 The blue crab serves as a host for a variety of 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, proto- zoa, helminths, and other crustaceans (Shields & 2.1. Collection and treatment of Overstreet 2007). Most pathogens cause little patho- experimental animals logical alteration to the host, but several have the capacity to cause serious disease and significantly In 2008 and 2009, juvenile blue crabs were affect host populations and their associated fisheries. obtained from colleagues studying the relationship For instance, the parasitic dinoflagellate Hemato- between submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) cover dinium perezi causes widespread blue crab mortali- and juvenile crab density (Ralph et al. 2013). Crabs ties during annual seasonal outbreaks (Messick were collected from Cherrystone Creek and Hungars 1994, Messick & Shields 2000, Lee & Frischer 2004). Creek, 2 moderate-salinity (18−22 psu) locations on The parasite was first documented in blue crabs by the Chesapeake Bay side of the Delmarva Peninsula Newman & Johnson (1975) and was later shown to (Fig. 1), by suction sampling, transported to the Vir- have a broad distribution on the Eastern seaboard of ginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), and frozen the USA and Gulf of Mexico coast (Messick & Shields at −20°C. Samples were then thawed and sorted, and 2000, Pagenkopp Lohan et al. 2013). The parasite is individual crabs were measured (carapace width endemic in crabs living in areas of high salinity [CW] including epibranchial spines) prior to their (>20 psu), and infections are rarely found in waters preservation in 70% ethanol. In 2011 and 2012, early where salinity is below 18 psu (Newman & Johnson benthic juvenile crabs were collected from SAV habi- 1975, Messick & Sindermann 1992, Messick & tats in Cherrystone Creek and South Bay, a high- Shields 2000). The parasite also infects several other salinity (32− 34 psu) oceanic coastal embayment on crustacean species, including decapods and amphi - the Delmarva Peninsula. Crabs were captured using pods (Johnson 1986, Messick & Shields 2000, Shep- dip nets and immediately stored in coolers contain- pard et al. 2003, Pagenkopp Lohan et al. 2012). ing ambient seawater for transport to VIMS for H. perezi can be highly pathogenic in its blue crab assessment. Upon return to the laboratory, crabs host, with mortality rates up to 87% in naturally and were preserved whole in 95% ethanol. All subse- experimentally infected mature blue crabs (Messick & quent collections from SAV habitats (2014−2017) Shields 2000, Shields & Squyars 2000). Infections and were conducted in the same manner. Over this crab mortalities have historically been reported from period, crabs were also collected from Cobb Bay, large juvenile and adult crabs due to their ease of cap- which abuts South Bay. In fall 2016, juvenile crabs ture in commercial traps; few studies have examined were also collected from Pungoteague Creek and larval and early benthic juvenile stages. Messick Gwynn’s Island, 2 moderate-salinity locations (16− (1994) documented prevalence levels up to 100% in 18 psu) on the Chesapeake Bay side of the Delmarva early benthic juveniles sampled in 1992 and 1993 Peninsula and on the western shore of Chesapeake from coastal bays near Ocean City, Maryland, and Bay, respectively. At the laboratory, crabs were Franklin City, Virginia. Little is known about whether measured and assessed for obvious in juries prior to the parasite can infect larval stages. Sullivan et al. dissection. They were then bisected sagittally along (2016) and Sullivan & Neigel (2017) detected Hemato- the carapace length using a sterile razor blade on a dinium DNA associated with blue crab megalopae clean glass microslide. Half of the crab was placed collected from inshore locations in Louisiana, but their into Bouin’s solution and the other half was placed studies did not demonstrate whether the positive PCR into 95% ethanol for later processing. The dissection assays were associated with internal infections. smear was then stained with 0.3% neutral red in The purpose of the current study was to determine physiological saline and assessed for the presence of if megalopae had infections of H. perezi and to assess the parasite. the prevalence levels in early benthic juveniles from Megalopae were collected from several high-salin-
Load more

Recommended publications
  • An Aerobic Eukaryotic Parasite with Functional Mitochondria That Likely
    An aerobic eukaryotic parasite with functional mitochondria that likely lacks a mitochondrial genome Uwe John, Yameng Lu, Sylke Wohlrab, Marco Groth, Jan Janouškovec, Gurjeet Kohli, Felix Mark, Ulf Bickmeyer, Sarah Farhat, Marius Felder, et al. To cite this version: Uwe John, Yameng Lu, Sylke Wohlrab, Marco Groth, Jan Janouškovec, et al.. An aerobic eukaryotic parasite with functional mitochondria that likely lacks a mitochondrial genome. Science Advances , American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2019, 5 (4), pp.eaav1110. 10.1126/sci- adv.aav1110. hal-02372304 HAL Id: hal-02372304 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02372304 Submitted on 25 Nov 2019 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. SCIENCE ADVANCES | RESEARCH ARTICLE EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY Copyright © 2019 The Authors, some rights reserved; An aerobic eukaryotic parasite with functional exclusive licensee American Association mitochondria that likely lacks a mitochondrial genome for the Advancement Uwe John1,2*, Yameng Lu1,3, Sylke Wohlrab1,2, Marco Groth4, Jan Janouškovec5, Gurjeet S. Kohli1,6, of Science. No claim to 1 1 7 4 1,8 original U.S. Government Felix C. Mark , Ulf Bickmeyer , Sarah Farhat , Marius Felder , Stephan Frickenhaus , Works.
    [Show full text]
  • Molecular Data and the Evolutionary History of Dinoflagellates by Juan Fernando Saldarriaga Echavarria Diplom, Ruprecht-Karls-Un
    Molecular data and the evolutionary history of dinoflagellates by Juan Fernando Saldarriaga Echavarria Diplom, Ruprecht-Karls-Universitat Heidelberg, 1993 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES Department of Botany We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA November 2003 © Juan Fernando Saldarriaga Echavarria, 2003 ABSTRACT New sequences of ribosomal and protein genes were combined with available morphological and paleontological data to produce a phylogenetic framework for dinoflagellates. The evolutionary history of some of the major morphological features of the group was then investigated in the light of that framework. Phylogenetic trees of dinoflagellates based on the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU) are generally poorly resolved but include many well- supported clades, and while combined analyses of SSU and LSU (large subunit ribosomal RNA) improve the support for several nodes, they are still generally unsatisfactory. Protein-gene based trees lack the degree of species representation necessary for meaningful in-group phylogenetic analyses, but do provide important insights to the phylogenetic position of dinoflagellates as a whole and on the identity of their close relatives. Molecular data agree with paleontology in suggesting an early evolutionary radiation of the group, but whereas paleontological data include only taxa with fossilizable cysts, the new data examined here establish that this radiation event included all dinokaryotic lineages, including athecate forms. Plastids were lost and replaced many times in dinoflagellates, a situation entirely unique for this group. Histones could well have been lost earlier in the lineage than previously assumed.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mitochondrial Genome and Transcriptome of the Basal
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE GBEprovided by PubMed Central The Mitochondrial Genome and Transcriptome of the Basal Dinoflagellate Hematodinium sp.: Character Evolution within the Highly Derived Mitochondrial Genomes of Dinoflagellates C. J. Jackson, S. G. Gornik, and R. F. Waller* School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Australia *Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]. Accepted: 12 November 2011 Abstract The sister phyla dinoflagellates and apicomplexans inherited a drastically reduced mitochondrial genome (mitochondrial DNA, mtDNA) containing only three protein-coding (cob, cox1, and cox3) genes and two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. In apicomplexans, single copies of these genes are encoded on the smallest known mtDNA chromosome (6 kb). In dinoflagellates, however, the genome has undergone further substantial modifications, including massive genome amplification and recombination resulting in multiple copies of each gene and gene fragments linked in numerous combinations. Furthermore, protein-encoding genes have lost standard stop codons, trans-splicing of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) is required to generate complete cox3 transcripts, and extensive RNA editing recodes most genes. From taxa investigated to date, it is unclear when many of these unusual dinoflagellate mtDNA characters evolved. To address this question, we investigated the mitochondrial genome and transcriptome character states of the deep branching dinoflagellate Hematodinium sp. Genomic data show that like later-branching dinoflagellates Hematodinium sp. also contains an inflated, heavily recombined genome of multicopy genes and gene fragments. Although stop codons are also lacking for cox1 and cob, cox3 still encodes a conventional stop codon. Extensive editing of mRNAs also occurs in Hematodinium sp.
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental DNA Metabarcoding for Simultaneous Monitoring and Ecological Assessment of Many Harmful Algae
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.01.322941; this version posted October 2, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. Environmental DNA Metabarcoding for Simultaneous Monitoring and Ecological Assessment of Many Harmful Algae Emily Jacobs-Palmer1, Ramón Gallego1,2, Kelly Cribari1, Abigail Keller1, Ryan P. Kelly1 1University of Washington School of Marine and Environmental Affairs 2NRC Research Associateship Program, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Abstract Harmful algae can have profound economic, environmental, and social consequences. As the timing, frequency, and severity of harmful algal blooms (HABs) change alongside global climate, efficient tools to monitor and understand the current ecological context of these taxa are increasingly important. Here we employ environmental DNA metabarcoding to identify patterns in a wide variety of harmful algae and associated ecological communities in the Hood Canal of Puget Sound in Washington State, USA. We track trends of presence and abundance in a series of water samples across nearly two years. We find putative harmful algal sequences in a majority of samples, suggesting that these groups are routinely present in local waters. We report patterns in variants of the economically important genus Pseudo-nitzschia (family Bacillariaceae), as well as multiple harmful algal taxa previously unknown or poorly documented in the region, including a cold-water variant from the saxitoxin-producing genus Alexandrium (family Gonyaulacaceae), two variants from the karlotoxin-producing genus Karlodinium (family Kareniaceae), and one variant from the parasitic genus Hematodinium (family Syndiniaceae).
    [Show full text]
  • 11 Shields FISH 98(1)
    139 Abstract.–On the eastern seaboard of Mortality and hematology of blue crabs, the United States, populations of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, experi- Callinectes sapidus, experimentally infected ence recurring outbreaks of a parasitic dinoflagellate, Hematodinium perezi. with the parasitic dinoflagellate Epizootics fulminate in summer and autumn causing mortalities in high- Hematodinium perezi* salinity embayments and estuaries. In laboratory studies, we experimentally investigated host mortality due to the Jeffrey D. Shields disease, assessed differential hemato- Christopher M. Squyars logical changes in infected crabs, and Department of Environmental Sciences examined proliferation of the parasite. Virginia Institute of Marine Science Mature, overwintering, nonovigerous The College of William and Mary female crabs were injected with 103 or P.O. Box 1346, Gloucester Point, VA 23602, USA 105 cells of H. perezi. Mortalities began E-mail address (for J. D. Shields): [email protected] 14 d after infection, with a median time to death of 30.3 ±1.5 d (SE). Sub- sequent mortality rates were greater than 86% in infected crabs. A relative risk model indicated that infected crabs were seven to eight times more likely to Hematodinium perezi is a parasitic larger, riverine (“bayside”) fishery; die than controls and that decreases in total hemocyte densities covaried signif- dinoflagellate that proliferates in it appears most detrimental to the icantly with mortality. Hemocyte densi- the hemolymph of several crab spe- coastal (“seaside”) crab fisheries. ties declined precipitously (mean=48%) cies. In the blue crab, Callinectes Outbreaks of infestation by Hema- within 3 d of infection and exhibited sapidus, H. perezi is highly patho- todinium spp.
    [Show full text]
  • Molecular Phylogeny and Surface Morphology of Colpodella Edax (Alveolata): Insights Into the Phagotrophic Ancestry of Apicomplexans
    J. Eukaryot. Microbiol., 50(5), 2003 pp. 334±340 q 2003 by the Society of Protozoologists Molecular Phylogeny and Surface Morphology of Colpodella edax (Alveolata): Insights into the Phagotrophic Ancestry of Apicomplexans BRIAN S. LEANDER,a OLGA N. KUVARDINA,b VLADIMIR V. ALESHIN,b ALEXANDER P. MYLNIKOVc and PATRICK J. KEELINGa aCanadian Institute for Advanced Research, Program in Evolutionary Biology, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada, and bDepartments of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Invertebrate Zoology, Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119 992, Russian Federation, and cInstitute for the Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Yaroslavskaya oblast, 152742, Russian Federation ABSTRACT. The molecular phylogeny of colpodellids provides a framework for inferences about the earliest stages in apicomplexan evolution and the characteristics of the last common ancestor of apicomplexans and dino¯agellates. We extended this research by presenting phylogenetic analyses of small subunit rRNA gene sequences from Colpodella edax and three unidenti®ed eukaryotes published from molecular phylogenetic surveys of anoxic environments. Phylogenetic analyses consistently showed C. edax and the environmental sequences nested within a colpodellid clade, which formed the sister group to (eu)apicomplexans. We also presented surface details of C. edax using scanning electron microscopy in order to supplement previous ultrastructural investigations of this species using transmission electron microscopy and to provide morphological context for interpreting environmental sequences. The microscopical data con®rmed a sparse distribution of micropores, an amphiesma consisting of small polygonal alveoli, ¯agellar hairs on the anterior ¯agellum, and a rostrum molded by the underlying (open-sided) conoid.
    [Show full text]
  • Infection by a Hematodinium-Like Parasitic Dinoflagellate Causes Pink
    Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 79 (2002) 179–191 www.academicpress.com Infection by a Hematodinium-like parasitic dinoflagellate causes Pink Crab Disease (PCD) in the edible crab Cancer pagurus G.D. Stentiford,a,* M. Green,a K. Bateman,a H.J. Small,b D.M. Neil,b and S.W. Feista a Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) Weymouth Laboratory, Barrack Road, The Nothe, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8UB, UK b Division of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK Received 30 October 2001; accepted 2 May 2002 Abstract The edible crab (Cancer pagurus) supports a large and valuable fishery in UK waters. Much of the catch is transported live to continental Europe in specially designed live-well (‘vivier’) vehicles. During the winter of 2000/2001, many trap-caught crabs from Guernsey, Channel Islands, UK, were reportedly moribund and pink in colour. These crabs generally died before and during vivier transportation. We provide histological, immunological, and molecular evidence that this condition is associated with infection by a Hematodinium-like dinoflagellate parasite similar to that previously reported in C. pagurus and to an infection causing seasonal mass mortalities of the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus). Pathologically, every altered host bore the infection, which was charac- terised by very large numbers of plasmodial and vegetative stages in the haemolymph and depletion of reserve cells in the he- patopancreas. Due to the hyperpigmentation of the carapace and appendages, we have called this infection ‘Pink Crab Disease’ (PCD). Similar Hematodinium infections cause ‘Bitter Crab Disease’ in tanner and snow crabs, which has had a negative effect on their marketability.
    [Show full text]
  • Hematodinium Sp
    crustacean Protozoa Hematodinium sp. - Bitter Crab Disease of Tanner Crabs I. Causative Agent and Disease IV. Transmission Bitter crab disease is caused by a Although the natural route of trans- parasitic dinoflagellate,Hematodinium mission has not been established, there sp. belonging to the protozoan phylum are likely to be several modes in which Alveolata, subphylum Dinoflagellida, the parasite is transmitted horizontally order Syndinida and family Syndiniceae. via: stages of the parasite in seawater A major feature of classification for di- that enter breaks in the cuticle during noflagellates is the biflagellated grooved mating and molting; cannibalism or dinospore stage. Obligate Hematodinium feeding on detritis containing resting parasites have been described from spores; sexual transmission via semi- several species of crustaceans, certain nal fluids of parasitized male crabs and fishes and cephalopods. In crustaceans possibly through a reservoir host such as the type species is H. perezi parasitizing bottom dwelling amphipods. The para- the European shore crab. All Hema- site and disease have been transmitted in todinium described from crustaceans the laboratory by injection of hemo- parasitize the hemolymph causing lymph containing vegetative trophonts systemic disease and mortality affecting and dinospore stages. Life history stages at least 26 species of crustacean hosts in include: trophonts which are single cells Europe, Australia and North America and have slow division; larger plasmo- including many commercially important dia with multiple nuclei; pre-spores crab species and 13 species of benthic with multiple nuclei and rapid division amphipods. followed by sporulation of biflagellated spores with a single nucleus. Spores II. Host Species are of two types, a large macrospore The bitter crab Hematodinium is and a small microspore, generally with reported from Tanner and snow crabs (C.
    [Show full text]
  • Genetic and Phenotypic Diversity Characterization of Natural Populations of the Parasitoid Parvilucifera Sinerae
    Vol. 76: 117–132, 2015 AQUATIC MICROBIAL ECOLOGY Published online October 22 doi: 10.3354/ame01771 Aquat Microb Ecol OPENPEN ACCESSCCESS Genetic and phenotypic diversity characterization of natural populations of the parasitoid Parvilucifera sinerae Marta Turon1, Elisabet Alacid1, Rosa Isabel Figueroa2, Albert Reñé1, Isabel Ferrera1, Isabel Bravo3, Isabel Ramilo3, Esther Garcés1,* 1Departament de Biologia Marina i Oceanografia, Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain 2Department of Biology, Lund University, Box 118, 221 00 Lund, Sweden 3Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, IEO (Instituto Español de Oceanografía), Subida a Radio Faro 50, 36390 Vigo, Spain ABSTRACT: Parasites exert important top-down control of their host populations. The host−para- site system formed by Alexandrium minutum (Dinophyceae) and Parvilucifera sinerae (Perkinso- zoa) offers an opportunity to advance our knowledge of parasitism in planktonic communities. In this study, DNA extracted from 73 clonal strains of P. sinerae, from 10 different locations along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, was used to genetically characterize this parasitoid at the spe- cies level. All strains showed identical sequences of the small and large subunits and internal tran- scribed spacer of the ribosomal RNA, as well as of the β-tubulin genes. However, the phenotypical characterization showed variability in terms of host invasion, zoospore success, maturation time, half-maximal infection, and infection rate. This characterization grouped the strains within 3 phe- notypic types distinguished by virulence traits. A particular virulence pattern could not be ascribed to host-cell bloom appearance or to the location or year of parasite-strain isolation; rather, some parasitoid strains from the same bloom significantly differed in their virulence traits.
    [Show full text]
  • Molecular Phylogeny and Surface Morphology of Colpodella Edax (Alveolata): Insights Into the Phagotrophic Ancestry of Apicomplexans
    J. Eukaryot. MicroDiol., 50(S), 2003 pp. 334-340 0 2003 by the Society of Protozoologists Molecular Phylogeny and Surface Morphology of Colpodella edax (Alveolata): Insights into the Phagotrophic Ancestry of Apicomplexans BRIAN S. LEANDER,;‘ OLGA N. KUVARDINAP VLADIMIR V. ALESHIN,” ALEXANDER P. MYLNIKOV and PATRICK J. KEELINGa Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Program in Evolutionary Biology, Departnzent of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T Iz4, Canada, and hDepartments of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Invertebrate Zoology, Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, I I9 992, Russian Federation, and ‘Institute for the Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy qf Sciences, Borok, Yaroslavskaya oblast, I52742, Russian Federation ABSTRACT. The molecular phylogeny of colpodellids provides a framework for inferences about the earliest stages in apicomplexan evolution and the characteristics of the last common ancestor of apicomplexans and dinoflagellates. We extended this research by presenting phylogenetic analyses of small subunit rRNA gene sequences from Colpodella edax and three unidentified eukaryotes published from molecular phylogenetic surveys of anoxic environments. Phylogenetic analyses consistently showed C. edax and the environmental sequences nested within a colpodellid clade, which formed the sister group to (eu)apicomplexans. We also presented surface details of C. edax using scanning electron microscopy in order to supplement previous ultrastructural investigations of this species using transmission electron microscopy and to provide morphological context for interpreting environmental sequences. The microscopical data confirmed a sparse distribution of micropores, an amphiesma consisting of small polygonal alveoli, flagellar hairs on the anterior flagellum, and a rostrum molded by the underlying (open-sided)conoid. Three flagella were present in some individuals, a peculiar feature also found in the microgametes of some apicomplexans.
    [Show full text]
  • Alveolata) Using Small Subunit Rrna Gene Sequences Suggests They Are the Free-Living Sister Group to Apicomplexans
    J. Elrkutyt. Microhiol., 49(6), 2002 pp. 49G.504 0 2002 by the Society of Prutozoolugists The Phylogeny of Colpodellids (Alveolata) Using Small Subunit rRNA Gene Sequences Suggests They are the Free-living Sister Group to Apicomplexans OLGA N. KUVARDINA,’.hBRIAN S. LEANDER,’,aVLADIMIR V. ALESHIN,h ALEXANDER P. MYL’NIKOV,” PATRICK J. KEELING‘‘and TIMUR G. SIMDYANOVh “Canadian Institute for Advunced Resenrch, Program in Evolutionury Biology, Department of Botany, Universiv of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 124, Canada, and hDepartnzents of Evolutionary Biochemistry and litvertebrate Zoology, Belozersb Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow 119 899, Russian Federation, and ‘Instinrtefor the Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Yaroslnvskaya oblavt 152742, Russian Federation ABSTRACT. In an attempt to reconstruct early alveolate evolution, we have examined the phylogenetic position of colpodellids by analyzing small subunit rDNA sequences from Colpodella pontica Myl’nikov 2000 and Colpodella sp. (American Type Culture Col- lection 50594). All phylogenetic analyses grouped the colpodellid sequences together with strong support and placed them strongly within the Alveolata. Most analyses showed colpodellids as the sister group to an apicomplexan clade, albeit with weak support. Sequences from two perkinsids, Perkinsus and Parvilucifera, clustered together and consistently branched as the sister group to dino- flagellates as shown previously. These data demonstrate that colpodellids and perkinsids are plesiomorphically similar in morphology and help provide a phylogenetic framework for inferring the combination of character states present in the last common ancestor of dinoflagellates and apicomplexans. We can infer that this ancestor was probably a myzocytotic predator with two heterodynamic flagella, micropores, trichocysts, rhoptries, micronemes, a polar ring, and a coiled open-sided conoid.
    [Show full text]
  • Stepwise Elimination of the Plastid in the Dinoflagellate Hematodinium Sp
    Endosymbiosis undone: stepwise elimination of the plastid in the dinoflagellate Hematodinium sp. Sebastian G Gornik1, 2, Febrimarsa 1, Andrew Cassin3, James I MacRae 4, 5, Abhinay Ramaprasad6, Zineb Rchiad6, Malcolm J McConville5, Antony Bacic1, 3, Geoffrey I McFadden1, Arnab Pain6 and Ross F Waller1,7,* 1 School of Botany, University of Melbourne, 3010 Victoria, Australia 2 School of Natural Sciences, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland 3 ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia 4 The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW7 1AA, United Kingdom 5 Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia 6 BESE Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal-Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 7 Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, CB2 1QW, United Kingdom * Corresponding author: Ross F. Waller Short Title: Elimination of an endosymbiotic organelle Keywords: organelle loss, plastid, endosymbiosis, metabolism, diaminopimelate aminotransferase (DapL) Abstract (250 words max) Organelle gain through endosymbiosis has been integral to the origin and diversification of eukaryotes, and, once gained, plastids and mitochondria seem seldom lost. Indeed, discovery of non-photosynthetic plastids in many eukaryotes, notably the apicoplast in apicomplexan parasites such as the malaria pathogen Plasmodium, highlights the essential metabolic functions performed by plastids beyond photosynthesis. Once a cell becomes reliant on these ancillary functions, organelle dependence is apparently difficult to overcome. Previous examples of endosymbiotic organelle loss (either mitochondria or plastids), which have been invoked to explain the origin of eukaryotic diversity, have subsequently been recognized as organelle reduction to cryptic forms such as mitosomes and apicoplasts.
    [Show full text]