Article
Zoology
Yuan Wang, Jie Chen, Ying Na, Xin-cang Li, Jun-fang Zhou, Wen-hong Fang, Hong-xin Tan
Summary: In this study, the microsporidian Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei from Penaeus vannamei was redescribed based on spore morphology, life cycle, pathology, and molecular character. New features were discovered compared to Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei isolated from Penaeus monodon. Phylogenetic analysis showed a common ancestor for all Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei isolates.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Yuliya Y. Sokolova, Robin M. Overstreet, Richard W. Heard, Nadezhda P. Isakova
Summary: The genus Unikaryon exclusively parasitizes Platyhelminthes, with two new species identified in brachyuran crabs from intertidal habitats in Florida. Unikaryon panopei was isolated from Microphallus sp. in Panopeus herbstii, while the second Unikaryon sp. is pending specific designation. Phylogenetic analysis showed Unikaryon panopei to be closely related to Unikaryon legeri, with 94% SSUrDNA similarity.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maoshuang Ran, Yulian Shi, Boning Li, Heng Xiang, Meilin Tao, Xianzhi Meng, Tian Li, Chunfeng Li, Jialing Bao, Guoqing Pan, Zeyang Zhou
Summary: This study characterized 19 serpins in the microsporidian Nosema bombycis and found that they play vital roles in pathogen-host interactions. The comparative genomic analysis revealed that microsporidia serpins were only found in the genus Nosema and there were gene duplications in Nosema antheranae.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Tetsuya Yanagida, Nanami Asai, Michitaka Yamamoto, Kazuhiro Sugahara, Takuto Fujiwara, Sho Shirakashi, Hiroshi Yokoyama
Summary: A new microsporidian disease affecting cultured rainbow trout has been identified in Japan, and the causative species has been named Microsporidium sp. RBT-2021. This study investigated the potential involvement of common prawn Palaemon paucidens in the transmission of the disease and found four new types of spores in the prawn. While the nucleotide sequence of type 1 spores was identical to Microsporidium sp. RBT-2021, the morphology and mode of development in fish and prawn were different. Based on morphological and molecular analysis, the disease-causing species is described as Inodosporus fujiokai n. sp. This study suggests that I. fujiokai has a multi-host life cycle involving fish and crustacean hosts, which is a new finding in fish microsporidians. Additionally, the study proposes that the genus Kabatana is a junior synonym of Inodosporus.
Article
Zoology
Yuliya Y. Sokolova, Holly A. Rogers, Julie A. Lively
Summary: During a survey of blue crabs in Louisiana, microsporidiosis was found in two crabs, with the causative agent identified as Ameson michaelis. However, one crab showed infection by a parasite with different ultrastructural characteristics. This discovery led to the identification of a new species in the genus Ameson.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Elena S. Nassonova, Natalya I. Bondarenko, Gita G. Paskerova, Magdalena Kovacikova, Ekaterina V. Frolova, Alexey V. Smirnov
Summary: Metchnikovella dogieli belongs to the early diverging microsporidian group and shows primitive characteristics compared to typical microsporidia. These hyperparasites infect gregarines parasitizing marine invertebrates. The species was discovered in the silt littoral zone at the coast of the White Sea in North-West Russia and described based on light microscopy.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Cheyenne E. Stratton, Paul Moler, Thomas W. Allain, Lindsey S. Reisinger, Donald C. Behringer, Jamie Bojko
Summary: This study reports on the high-intensity microsporidian infection in two crayfish hosts and confirms their similarity to Ovipleistophora diplostomuri parasitizing another crayfish species. Additional microsporidian diversity was also identified in regional fish species. These findings provide further evidence for trophic transmission among Clade V microsporidia.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Yasuhide Nakamura, Hiryori Itagaki, Akihiro Tuji, Shinji Shimode, Atsushi Yamaguchi, Kiyotaka Hidaka, Eri Ogiso-Tanaka
Summary: DNA metabarcoding is a promising method for elucidating the biological interactions of difficult-to-culture protists. The study found that DNA metabarcoding on a single organism effectively revealed potential symbionts, parasites, and food sources of Radiolaria and Phaeodaria. The results also showed that taxonomic composition differed between these two protistan groups.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Jamie Bojko
Summary: A microsporidian parasite infecting the pheasantshell mussel, Actinonaiais pectorosa, was discovered in a freshwater system in the USA. The taxonomic account of this species was completed based on ecological, environmental, histological, electron microscopy, and genetic data, leading to the establishment of a new genus called Knowlespora.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Cheyenne E. Stratton, Lindsey S. Reisinger, Donald C. Behringer, Jamie Bojko
Summary: Researchers provide evidence that freshwater Thelohania, parasites infecting crayfish, are genetically distinct from marine Thelohania. They also propose transferring the freshwater Thelohania to a new genus, Astathelohania, and a new family, Astathelohaniidae. Two new species have been described, expanding the understanding of this genus which can be found in North America, Europe, and Australia.
Article
Microbiology
Qiang Huang, Zhi Hao Wu, Wen Feng Li, Rui Guo, Jin Shan Xu, Xiao Qun Dang, Zheng Gang Ma, Yan Ping Chen, Jay D. Evans
Summary: Microsporidia parasite N. ceranae infects honey bee gut epithelial cells, causing various issues; genome re-sequencing revealed genetic diversity and new discoveries; findings shed light on pathogenesis of N. ceranae and inform future treatment strategies.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aleksi Lehikoinen, Pekka Pohjola, Jari Valkama, Marko Mutanen, Jaakko L. O. Pohjoismaki
Summary: Ectoparasites such as louse flies show tendencies for host specialization driven by host biology and competition avoidance, but certain bird-specific louse fly species exhibit a wide range of suitable hosts. Factors such as host size, habitat, and breeding strategy influence host preference among bird louse fly species. DNA barcodes for Finnish Hippoboscidae species are provided as a resource for future species identification and metabarcoding studies.
Article
Parasitology
Ekaterina Frolova, Gita G. Paskerova, Alexey Smirnov, Elena S. Nassonova
Summary: Metchnikovellids are a deep-branching group of microsporidia that parasitize gregarines in the alimentary tract of polychaetes and other invertebrates. Despite limited research on the diversity and phylogeny of these hyperparasites, the study on Metchnikovella spiralis revealed unique characteristics in its life cycle and phylogenetic placement. The study emphasized the importance of combining in vivo observations with molecular data for a comprehensive understanding of these organisms.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel Martin, Maria Teresa Aguado, Maria-Ana Fernandez Alamo, Temir Alanovich Britayev, Markus Boggemann, Maria Capa, Sarah Faulwetter, Marcelo Veronesi Fukuda, Conrad Helm, Monica Angelica Varella Petti, Ascensao Ravara, Marcos A. L. Teixeira
Summary: Phyllodocida is a clade of annelids characterized by specific features like ventral sensory palps and axial muscular proboscis. Most species are found in marine benthos, with the highest diversity in European, North American, and Australian waters. Research on this group is mainly focused on shallow coastal and surface environments, with many world oceans being under-studied.
Article
Ecology
Kristina Lehnert, Joy Ometere Boyi, Ursula Siebert
Summary: Knowledge about parasite species, prevalence, and impact on health status of orcas is limited. Two lungworm infection cases in male neonatal orcas stranded in Germany and Norway were reported. The identified nematodes belong to Halocercus sp. (Pseudaliidae), but their species could not be identified due to fragile structure and ambiguous morphological features. Severe lungworm infections can cause secondary bacterial infections and bronchopneumonia, leading to odontocete mortality. DNA sequencing revealed potential new species of pseudaliid lungworms in orcas compared to previously described species in common dolphins and harbor porpoises. Phylogenetic relationships and differences between nine species of Metastrongyloidea were also elucidated.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gita G. Paskerova, Tatiana S. Miroliubova, Andrea Valigurova, Jan Janouskovec, Magdalena Kovacikova, Andrei Diakin, Yuliya Ya. Sokolova, Kirill V. Mikhailov, Vladimir V. Aleoshin, Timur G. Simdyanov
Summary: This study provides the first detailed description of the fine morphology of aseptate eugregarines, demonstrating that their attachment organelles structurally resemble epimerites in other eugregarines. Phylogenetic analyses based on ribosomal DNA sequences confirm the independent branching of the Polyrhabdina clade within eugregarines, supporting the hypothesis that the epimerite is a synapomorphic innovation. As a result, the family Polyrhabdinidae is resurrected, a new family Trollidiidae is erected, and the characteristics of P. pygospionis, as well as the diagnoses of the genus and families, are re-described and revised.
Article
Microbiology
Oksana Kamyshatskaya, Elena Nassonova, Natalia Bondarenko, Alexey Smirnov
Summary: The genus Deuteramoeba, a type of amoeba, has been relatively understudied in terms of its morphology and ultrastructure. This study provides new insights into the nuclear structure and cytoplasmic inclusions of Deuteramoeba mycophaga through ultrastructural analysis.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PROTISTOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
K. Lotonin, N. Bondarenko, E. Nassonova, M. Rayko, A. Smirnov
Summary: Researchers have discovered a new species named Balamuthia spinosa n. sp. in the brackish-water sediments of Niva Bay in the Baltic Sea. Additionally, they found fragments of Legionella pneumophila genome in this species, suggesting it may be a vector of Legionella in the environment. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship between the genera Stygamoeba and Vermistella, providing more evidence for the order Stygamoebida.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Yelisei Mesentsev, Oksana Kamyshatskaya, Elena Nassonova, Alexey Smirnov
Summary: This study describes a new freshwater species, Thecamoeba vumurta n. sp., which has minor morphological differences but significant differences in the SSU rRNA gene sequence compared to the widely distributed species Thecamoeba striata. The findings emphasize the importance of gene sequencing for the reliable identification of Thecamoeba species and propose distinguishing species groups based on morphological characteristics when molecular studies are not available.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PROTISTOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Denis Tikhonenkov, Mahwash Jamy, Anastasia S. Borodina, Artem O. Belyaev, Dmitry G. Zagumyonnyi, Kristina Prokina, Alexander P. Mylnikov, Fabien Burki, Sergey A. Karpov
Summary: Telonemia is a major phylum of flagellated eukaryotes that plays a crucial role in understanding the origin and diversity of eukaryotes. However, the knowledge about Telonemia is limited. In this study, we established new cultures and described new species and a new genus of Telonemia, providing insights into its phylogeny and morphology. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the origin of other major eukaryotic groups and the organization of microbial food webs.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Yelisei Mesentsev, Natalya Bondarenko, Oksana Kamyshatskaya, Elena Nassonova, Anna Glotova, Sergey Loiko, Georgy Istigechev, Anastasia Kulemzina, Evgeny Abakumov, Mikhail Rayko, Alla Lapidus, Alexey Smirnov
Summary: Two species of multinucleate amoebae, belonging to the genus Thecochaos, were rediscovered using single-cell techniques, providing valuable genetic and morphological information. This study highlights the importance of modern single-cell techniques in the study of rare and non-cultivable amoebae species.
ORGANISMS DIVERSITY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Luis Javier Galindo, Guifre Torruella, Purificacion Lopez-Garcia, Maria Ciobanu, Ana Gutierrez-Preciado, Sergey A. Karpov, David Moreira
Summary: The supergroup Holomycota, consisting of Fungi and other related unicellular organisms, plays a major role in the phylogeny of eukaryotes. Recent studies suggest that the poorly known group of endobiotic phagotrophic protists known as aphelids may be closely related to fungi. This finding has significant implications for understanding the early evolution of Holomycota and the origin of fungi.
SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kirill V. Mikhailov, Sergey A. Karpov, Peter M. Letcher, Philip A. Lee, Maria D. Logacheva, Aleksey A. Penin, Maksim A. Nesterenko, Igor R. Pozdnyakov, Evgenii V. Potapenko, Dmitry Y. Sherbakov, Yuri V. Panchin, Vladimir V. Aleoshin
Summary: Molecular phylogenetics has reshaped our understanding of the fungal tree of life, including the discovery of Aphelida as a deep branch preceding the emergence of osmotrophic fungi. In this study, the genomes of Aphelida species Amoeboaphelidium protococcarum and Amoeboaphelidium occidentale were obtained and analyzed. The genomic data revealed the hidden divergence between these two species and confirmed the proposed sister relationship between Aphelida and Fungi. The annotation of aphelid genomes further demonstrated their retention of certain proteins associated with phagocytosis and amoeboid motility, as well as the expansion of receptor-like protein kinases. The findings suggest an independent origin of fungal plant-degrading capabilities in aphelids.
Article
Zoology
Alexei Tchesunov, Olga Nikolaeva, Leonid Yu Rusin, Nadezda P. Sanamyan, Elena G. Panina, Dmitry M. Miljutin, Daria Gorelysheva, Anna N. Pegova, Maria R. Khromova, Maria Mardashova, Kirill Mikhailov, Vladimir V. Yushin, Nikolai B. Petrov, Vassily A. Lyubetsky, Mikhail A. Nikitin, Vladimir V. Aleoshin
Summary: Parasitic life-strategies in the phylum Nematoda are diverse and complex. Through analyzing novel rDNA data, this study reveals the paraphyly of a major taxon and the independent emergence of marine parasitism in certain lineages. It also presents molecular data on marine nematodes from unicellular hosts, highlighting the independent origins of exploitative nematode associations at a microscopic scale. The study suggests that non-intestinal host capture is a primary route for the transition to parasitism in roundworms.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Albert Rene, Elisabet Alacid, Andrey E. Vishnyakov, Kensuke Seto, Victoria S. Tcvetkova, Jordina Gordi, Maiko Kagami, Anke Kremp, Esther Garces, Sergey A. Karpov
Summary: A new chytrid genus and species, Paradinomyces triforaminorum gen. nov. sp. nov., was isolated and cultured from samples in the Baltic Sea. Molecular phylogeny and morphological features were used to determine its classification and phylogenetic relationships. Laboratory experiments showed the species to be highly specific and impacting the host's bloom. In addition, the chytrid co-occurred with other parasites, indicating common parasitic interactions during high-biomass bloom events.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Denis V. V. Tikhonenkov, Kirill V. V. Mikhailov, Ryan M. R. Gawryluk, Artem O. O. Belyaev, Varsha Mathur, Sergey A. A. Karpov, Dmitry G. G. Zagumyonnyi, Anastasia S. S. Borodina, Kristina I. I. Prokina, Alexander P. P. Mylnikov, Vladimir V. V. Aleoshin, Patrick J. J. Keeling
Summary: The molecular phylogenetics of microbial eukaryotes has led to the establishment of new taxonomic divisions, superseding traditional kingdoms and revealing a much broader diversity. The discovery of a new supergroup of eukaryotes, Provora, through isolated culture, underscores the importance of exploring eukaryotic diversity through traditional methods in the age of high-throughput analyses. These predators, Nebulidia and Nibbleridia, are globally distributed and distinct from other eukaryotes in genetics, morphology, and behavior.
Review
Microbiology
Ekaterina V. V. Frolova, Gita G. G. Paskerova, Alexey V. V. Smirnov, Elena S. S. Nassonova
Summary: Metchnikovellida are hyperparasitic microsporidia that live in gregarines found in the intestines of marine invertebrates. Recent studies have shown that the diversity of metchnikovellids may be higher than previously thought, even within a single host organism. Four species of metchnikovellids were found in the gut of the polychaete Pygospio elegans from littoral populations of the White and Barents Seas. Different metchnikovellid species can infect gregarines within a single worm, but simultaneous infection with multiple metchnikovellid species has never been observed.
Article
Microbiology
Victoria S. Tcvetkova, Igor R. Pozdnyakov, Alexei O. Seliuk, Natalia A. Zorina, Sergey A. Karpov
Summary: The aphelids, intracellular parasitoids of algae, are closely related to Fungi and play a significant role in the evolution of Holomycota. Nevertheless, the life cycle of aphelids, resembling that of Chytridiomycetes, remains poorly understood. This study reveals a new stage in aphelids, characterized by large multiflagellar and amoeboid cells formed through fusion of a plasmodium with two types of nuclei. Additionally, the families of protein-coding genes involved in vegetative cell fusion in Opisthokonta were investigated.
JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Igor R. Pozdnyakov, Evgeniy V. Potapenko, Elena S. Nassonova, Vladislav V. Babenko, Daria I. Boldyreva, Victoria S. Tcvetkova, Sergey A. Karpov
Summary: Aphelids, a holomycotan group, are parasitoids that infect algae and form a sister lineage to Fungi. Despite their sister relationship to fungi, aphelids do not show signs of similarity in terms of their osmotrophic abilities, and their osmotrophic abilities appear to be reduced compared to free-living unicellular opisthokonts.
