Author's posts

Sep 24

Being Aquifex aeolicus: Untangling a hyperthermophile's checkered past.

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Being Aquifex aeolicus: Untangling a hyperthermophile’s checkered past.
Genome Biol Evol. 2013;5(12):2478-97
Authors: Eveleigh RJ, Meehan CJ, Archibald JM, Beiko RG
Abstract
Latera…

Sep 24

Supertrees Based on the Subtree Prune-and-Regraft Distance.

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Supertrees Based on the Subtree Prune-and-Regraft Distance.
Syst Biol. 2014 Jul;63(4):566-81
Authors: Whidden C, Zeh N, Beiko RG
Abstract
Supertree methods reconcile a set of phylo…

Sep 24

Compositional complexity of the mitochondrial proteome of a unicellular eukaryote (Acanthamoeba castellanii, supergroup Amoebozoa) rivals that of animals, fungi, and plants.

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Compositional complexity of the mitochondrial proteome of a unicellular eukaryote (Acanthamoeba castellanii, supergroup Amoebozoa) rivals that of animals, fungi, and plants.
J Proteomics. 2014 Jul 12;109C:4…

Sep 24

Alignment Errors Strongly Impact Likelihood-Based Tests for Comparing Topologies.

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Alignment Errors Strongly Impact Likelihood-Based Tests for Comparing Topologies.
Mol Biol Evol. 2014 Aug 1;
Authors: Levy Karin E, Susko E, Pupko T
Abstract
Estimating phylogenetic …

Sep 24

Characterisation of Tulamoeba bucina n. sp., an Extremely Halotolerant Amoeboflagellate Heterolobosean Belonging to the Tulamoeba-Pleurostomum Clade (Tulamoebidae n. fam.).

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Characterisation of Tulamoeba bucina n. sp., an Extremely Halotolerant Amoeboflagellate Heterolobosean Belonging to the Tulamoeba-Pleurostomum Clade (Tulamoebidae n. fam.).

J Eukaryot Microbiol. 2014 Sep 17;

Authors: Kirby WA, Tikhonenkov DV, Mylnikov AP, Janouškovec J, Lax G, Simpson AG

Abstract
Most protozoans that have been cultivated recently from high salinity waters appear to be obligate halophiles. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that these species mostly represent independent lineages. Here we report the cultivation, morphological characterisation, and phylogenetic analysis of two strains (XLG1 and HLM-8) of a new extremely halotolerant heterolobosean amoeboflagellate. This species is closely related to the obligate halophiles Tulamoeba peronaphora and Pleurostomum flabellatum, and more specifically to the former. Like Tulamoeba, the new species has a monopodial limax amoeba stage, however, its cyst stage lacks an intrusive pore plug. The flagellate stage bears a combination of a planar spiral feeding apparatus and unequal heterodynamic flagella, which discriminate it from described Pleurostomum species. Strain XLG1 grows at salinities from 35‰ to 225‰. This degree of halotolerance is uncommon in protozoa, as most species showing growth in seawater are unable to grow at 200‰ salinity. The unrelatedness of most halophilic protozoa suggested that independent colonization of the hypersaline environment is more common than speciation within it. However, this study supports the idea that the Tulamoeba-Pleurostomum clade underwent an adaptive radiation within the hypersaline environment. A new species Tulamoeba bucina n. sp. is described, with Tulamoebidae n. fam. proposed for the Tulamoeba-Pleurostomum clade. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID: 25227416 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

Sep 24

Seasonal assemblages and short-lived blooms in coastal northwest Atlantic Ocean bacterioplankton.

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Seasonal assemblages and short-lived blooms in coastal northwest Atlantic Ocean bacterioplankton.
Environ Microbiol. 2014 Sep 22;
Authors: El-Swais H, Dunn KA, Bielawski JP, Li WK, Walsh DA
…

Jul 11

Description and molecular characterization of Plasmodium (Novyella) unalis sp. nov. from the Great Thrush (Turdus fuscater) in highland of Colombia.

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Description and molecular characterization of Plasmodium (Novyella) unalis sp. nov. from the Great Thrush (Turdus fuscater) in highland of Colombia.

Parasitol Res. 2013 Dec;112(12):4193-204

Authors: Mantilla JS, González AD, Valkiūnas G, Moncada LI, Matta NE

Abstract
Plasmodium (Novyella) unalis sp. nov. was found in the Great Thrush, Turdus fuscater (Passeriformes, Turdidae) in Bogotá, Colombia, at 2,560 m above sea level where the active transmission occurs. This parasite is described based on the morphology of its blood stages and a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (lineage UN227). Illustrations of blood stages of new species are given, and the phylogenetic analysis identifies closely related species and lineages of avian malaria parasites. The new species is most similar to Plasmodium (Novyella) vaughani (lineage SYAT05), a cosmopolitan avian malaria parasite; these parasites are also closely related genetically, with a genetic difference of 3.2% between them. P. unalis can be readily distinguished from the latter species morphologically, primarily due to the (1) presence of a single large, circular shaped pigment granule in the erythrocytic trophozoites and meronts; (2) presence of prominent vacuoles in trophozoites and growing meronts; and (3) presence of predominantly fan-like shaped erythrocytic meronts. Cytochrome b lineages with high similarity to the new species have been reported in Costa Rica, Brazil, Chile, and USA. It is probable that the new species of malaria parasite is widely distributed in the New World. This parasite has been reported only in the Great Thrush at the study site and might have a narrow range of avian hosts. Records of P. unalis are of particular theoretical interest due to its active transmission at highlands in Andes. Possible influence of urbanization on transmission of this malaria parasite in Bogotá is discussed.

PMID: 24048707 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

Jul 11

Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. from foals in Italy.

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Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. from foals in Italy.
Vet J. 2013 Nov;198(2):531-3
Authors: Caffara M, Piva S, Pallaver F, Iacono E, Galuppi R
Abstract
Fourteen Cr…

Jul 08

Identification and sequence characterization of novel Theileria genotypes from the waterbuck (Kobus defassa) in a Theileria parva-endemic area in Kenya.

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Identification and sequence characterization of novel Theileria genotypes from the waterbuck (Kobus defassa) in a Theileria parva-endemic area in Kenya.
Vet Parasitol. 2014 May 28;202(3-4):180-93
Au…

Jul 07

The trouble with (group II) introns.

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The trouble with (group II) introns.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 May 6;111(18):6536-7
Authors: Doolittle WF
PMID: 24757059 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]