April 2024 archive

Investigation of heterotrophs reveals new insights in dinoflagellate evolution

Dinoflagellates are diverse and ecologically important protists characterized by many morphological and molecular traits that set them apart from other eukaryotes. These features include, but are not limited to, massive genomes organized using bacterially-derived histone-like proteins (HLPs) and dinoflagellate viral nucleoproteins (DVNP) rather than histones, and a complex history of photobiology with many independent losses of photosynthesis, numerous cases of serial secondary and tertiary…

Investigation of heterotrophs reveals new insights in dinoflagellate evolution

Dinoflagellates are diverse and ecologically important protists characterized by many morphological and molecular traits that set them apart from other eukaryotes. These features include, but are not limited to, massive genomes organized using bacterially-derived histone-like proteins (HLPs) and dinoflagellate viral nucleoproteins (DVNP) rather than histones, and a complex history of photobiology with many independent losses of photosynthesis, numerous cases of serial secondary and tertiary…

Massive genome reduction predates the divergence of Symbiodiniaceae dinoflagellates

Dinoflagellates in the family Symbiodiniaceae are taxonomically diverse, predominantly symbiotic lineages that are well-known for their association with corals. The ancestor of these taxa is believed to have been free-living. The establishment of symbiosis (i.e., symbiogenesis) is hypothesised to have occurred multiple times during Symbiodiniaceae evolution, but its impact on genome evolution of these taxa is largely unknown. Among Symbiodiniaceae, the genus Effrenium is a free-living lineage…

Massive genome reduction predates the divergence of Symbiodiniaceae dinoflagellates

Dinoflagellates in the family Symbiodiniaceae are taxonomically diverse, predominantly symbiotic lineages that are well-known for their association with corals. The ancestor of these taxa is believed to have been free-living. The establishment of symbiosis (i.e., symbiogenesis) is hypothesised to have occurred multiple times during Symbiodiniaceae evolution, but its impact on genome evolution of these taxa is largely unknown. Among Symbiodiniaceae, the genus Effrenium is a free-living lineage…