Protistology 14 (3), 147–159 (2020) Protistology Variation of the microtubular cytoskeleton organi- zation in representatives of the genus Pelomyxa (Amoebozoa, Archamoebae, Pelobiontida) Ludmila Chistyakova1, Mariia Berdieva2, Victor Tsarev3 and Alexander Frolov1 1 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia 2 Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia 3 St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia | Submitted June 23, 2020 | Accepted August 10, 2020 | Summary The structure of the microtubular cytoskeleton was studied in four species of the genus Pelomyxa: P. gruberi, P. belevskii, P. binucleata and P. stagnalis. We characterized in detail the spatial organization of the microtubular cytoskeleton in the cells of these protists with the help of immunofluorescent staining combined with TEM. The microtubular cytoskeleton consisted of three main components: the flagellar apparatus, the microtubules associated with the outer nuclear membrane and the cytoplasmic microtubules. In all the four species of Pelomyxa examined in this study, the organization of the basal apparatus of different flagella could vary even in the same individual. This variation, possibly associated with the morphophysiological polarity of the cells, may be determined by the position of the flagella on the long axis of the pelomyxa’s body. Key words: Archamoebae, Pelomyxa, immunofluorescent staining, tubulins, cyto- skeleton Introduction tica (mitosomes) and Mastigamoeba balamuthi (hyd- rogenosomes) (Tovar et al., 1999; Nývltová et al., Archamoebae are free-living or parasitic mem- 2013). bers of the group Amoebozoa, occurring under The group Archamoebae comprises: (1) amoe- anaerobic or microaerobic conditions (Ptáčková boflagellates capable of active locomotion with the et al., 2013; Zadrobílková et al., 2015; Panek et al., help of flagella and generally moving by gliding on the 2016; Kang et al., 2017). Archamoebae are highly substrate (Mastigamoeba, Mastigella, Rhizomastix); unusual protists lacking mitochondria, peroxisomes (2) amoeboflagellates with flagella uninvolved in and morphologically differentiated dictyosomes. locomotion (Pelomyxa, Mastigina, Tricholimax); (3) Derivatives of mitochondria have been found only amoebae that lost the flagellar apparatus altogether in two species of archamoebae: Entamoeba histoly- (Entamoeba, Endamoeba, Endolimax, Iodamoeba doi:10.21685/1680-0826-2020-14-3-4 © 2020 The Author(s) Protistology © 2020 Protozoological Society Affiliated with RAS 148 · Ludmila Chistyakova, Mariia Berdieva, Victor Tsarev and Alexander Frolov and, possibly, some Pelomyxa) (Cavalier-Smith leton. The aim of this study was to obtain a com- et al., 2016). The ancestor of archamoebae was plete picture of the organization of microtubular probably a Mastigamoeba-like organism that used cytoskeleton in the cells of four species of Pelomyxa the flagellum for locomotion but was also capable of by using immunofluorescent staining combined with amoeboid movement (Cavalier-Smith et al., 2015). traditional electron microscopic methods. Transition to the mostly amoeboid locomotion must have occurred several times in the evolution of this group, and was always accompanied by significant Material and methods reorganizations of the cytoskeleton. Microtubular skeleton of archamoebae from SAMPLING AND LIGHT MICROSCOPY the genus Pelomyxa is of special interest. In these protists, the formation of amoeboid type of cell The structure of microtubular cytoskeleton was organization was accompanied by a considerable studied in Pelomyxa gruberi, P. belevskii, P. binucleata increase in size and the polymerization of the and P. stagnalis. The pelomyxae were isolated from nuclear and the flagellar apparatus (Frolov, 2011; the bottom sediments sampled in Ceratophyllum Chistyakova et al., 2013; Ptáčková et al., 2013; Pond (St. Petersburg, Staryi Petergof, Sergievka Zadrobílková et al., 2015). Most known pelomyxae Park) and in Afanas’ev Pond (Lyady Village, Pskov have flagella, which are generally immotile. The Region) in spring and summer of 2019. structure of the axoneme and the kinetosome in The samples were stored in the fridge at 10 °C. these flagella is often aberrant, which appears to be To isolate the pelomyxae, 3–4 ml of the bottom associated with the loss of their locomotor function sediments (detritus) were put into a Petri dish with (Seravin and Goodkov, 1987; Goodkov, 1989; a diameter of 90 mm, diluted with pond water 1:1 Frolov, 2011). and viewed under a Leica 125C stereomicroscope A more or less developed microtubular cyto- (Leica-Microsystems, Wetzlar, Germany). Light skeleton has been described in several pelomyxae microscopic observations and microphotographs with the help of TEM. It can be represented by: (1) were made with the use of Leica DM2500 micro- cytoplasmic microtubular derivatives of kinetoso- scope equipped with Nomarski contrast, a fluo- mes (rootlets); (2) perinuclear microtubules asso- rescent module and a Leica DFM 495 camera ciated with the outer nuclear membrane; (3) cyto- (Leica-Microsystems, Wetzlar, Germany). Actively plasmic microtubules (Chistyakova et al., 2013). By moving amoebae were selected and fixed for the analogy with Mastigamoebidae (Walker et al., 2001), subsequent studies. several well-differentiated groups of microtubules can be distinguished in the rootlet system of the ANTIBODIES kinetosomes in pelomyxae: (1) radial microtubules, radiating from the lateral surface of the kinetosome Primary antibodies used for immunofluorescent in one or several rows and forming a cone or a staining of the microtubular cytoskeleton in Pelo- bundle mostly situated in the surface layer of the myxa species were monoclonal anti-α-Tubulin cytoplasm; (2) a lateral rootlet represented by a band antibodies produced in mouse (T5168, Sigma- of tightly adjoining microtubules, starting from the Aldrich, USA). These antibodies have been succes- electron-dense material on the lateral surface of sfully used in our previous studies of protists from the kinetosome and located in the ectoplasm under other taxonomic groups (Berdieva et al., 2018). To the cell membrane; (3) basal microtubules starting verify indirectly the specificity of antibody binding, from a MTOC at the base of the kinetosome; they we compared α-tubulin sequences of representatives often form a bundle directed into the cytoplasm of Archamoebae with a sequence of Mus musculus (Chistyakova et al., 2013, 2014; Berdieva et al., tubulin α-1A chain (NP_035783.1). In the absence 2015). of available Pelomyxa sequences, E. histolytica tubu- However, a complete picture of the tubulin lin α chain amino acid sequence (EAL48031.1) and cytoskeleton organization in pelomyxae cannot M. balamuthi translated “similar to tubulin alpha be obtained with the use of TEM alone. Large size chain” nucleotide sequence (BM320995.1) were of these protists and their strongly vacuolated cyto- used as queries. The analysis was performed using plasm filled with numerous inclusions make it BLASTP and BLASTX (with standard genetic code) difficult a spatial reconstruction of their cytoske- algorithms, respectively (https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih. Protistology · 149 gov/Blast.cgi). The analysis revealed 53.02% identity cell, represented by small hyaline villi of various (e-value=0.0, 98% query cover) for E. histolytica, shape. The cells reach the length of 250–300 µm. and 89.19% identity (e-value=9e-73, 73% query Immotile flagella, 5–7 µm, are mostly found in cover) for M. balamuthi. We also observed a high the uroidal zone. A strongly developed rootlet system similarity of aligned sequences in the C-terminal associated with the kinetosomes can be seen even at region, which, according to the provider’s data, the light microscopic level (Fig. 1, A, inset). contains the epitope recognized by the antibody. Numerous flagella and the associated elements of the basal apparatus visualized clearly in the cells IMMUNOFLUORESCENT LABELLING AND MICROSCOPY stained with the use of anti-α-tubulin antibodies (Fig. 2, A–C). A cell could bear 10 and more The amoebae were fixed with 4% paraformal- flagella. They usually concentrated in the uroidal dehyde in PBS for 30 min and washed in PBS zone, but sometimes were also present on the thrice for 5 min each time. After that, the cells were lateral cell surface. At the base of most flagella in treated with 1% Triton X-100 for 20 min, washed the uroidal zone, there was a distinct fluorescent in PBS thrice for 5 min each time and blocked with zone about 1.5–2 µm in diameter, from which radial 1% BSA for 10 min. Then the cells were put into microtubules started at an angle to the longitudinal Eppendorf tubes in a minimum amount of liquid, axis of the flagellum (Fig. 2, A, B). In addition, a mixed with 20 µl of primary antibodies (diluted with bundle of basal microtubules went into the cyto- PBS 1:500), and incubated at +4 °C overnight. Then plasm as if in continuation of the flagellum; the the cells were washed thrice in PBS, transferred bundle was 10–15 µm long, wider at the base of the into another Eppendorf tube and mixed with 20 µl basal body and tapering towards the end (Fig. 2, A, of secondary antibodies Anti-Mouse IgG (whole B). These differentiated elements of the kinetosome molecule)–TRITC antibody produced in goat were strongly reduced or altogether lacking in the Sigma-Aldrich T5393 (diluted with PBS 1:100), flagella on the lateral side of the cell, and only a incubated in the dark at room