Category: Our papers

True molecular phylogenetic position of the cockroach gut commensal Lophomonas blattarum (Lophomonadida, Parabasalia)

No abstract

True molecular phylogenetic position of the cockroach gut commensal Lophomonas blattarum (Lophomonadida, Parabasalia)

No abstract

Intracytoplasmic-membrane development in alphaproteobacteria involves the homolog of the mitochondrial crista-developing protein Mic60

No abstract

Intracytoplasmic-membrane development in alphaproteobacteria involves the homolog of the mitochondrial crista-developing protein Mic60

No abstract

Intracytoplasmic-membrane development in alphaproteobacteria involves the homolog of the mitochondrial crista-developing protein Mic60

Mitochondrial cristae expand the surface area of respiratory membranes and ultimately allow for the evolutionary scaling of respiration with cell volume across eukaryotes. The discovery of Mic60 homologs among alphaproteobacteria, the closest extant relatives of mitochondria, suggested that cristae might have evolved from bacterial intracytoplasmic membranes (ICMs). Here, we investigated the predicted structure and function of alphaproteobacterial Mic60, and a protein encoded by an adjacent gene…

<em>G</em> <em>lugea</em> sp. infecting <em>Sardinella aurita</em> in Algeria

Parasitological examination of the commercially important pelagic fish Sardinella aurita Valenciennes, 1847 (Clupeidae) from the Eastern coast of Algeria revealed xenomas in the peritoneal cavity, suggesting a microsporidian infection. The prevalence of the disease was approximately 30% on average, higher in smaller individuals and showing significant seasonal variation. The xenomas contained numerous ellipsoidal spores, surrounded by a dense layer of connective tissue. Spore sizes were 6.10 ±…

<em>G</em> <em>lugea</em> sp. infecting <em>Sardinella aurita</em> in Algeria

Parasitological examination of the commercially important pelagic fish Sardinella aurita Valenciennes, 1847 (Clupeidae) from the Eastern coast of Algeria revealed xenomas in the peritoneal cavity, suggesting a microsporidian infection. The prevalence of the disease was approximately 30% on average, higher in smaller individuals and showing significant seasonal variation. The xenomas contained numerous ellipsoidal spores, surrounded by a dense layer of connective tissue. Spore sizes were 6.10 ±…

Site-and-branch-heterogeneous analyses of an expanded dataset favour mitochondria as sister to known Alphaproteobacteria

Determining the phylogenetic origin of mitochondria is key to understanding the ancestral mitochondrial symbiosis and its role in eukaryogenesis. However, the precise evolutionary relationship between mitochondria and their closest bacterial relatives remains hotly debated. The reasons include pervasive phylogenetic artefacts as well as limited protein and taxon sampling. Here we developed a new model of protein evolution that accommodates both across-site and across-branch compositional…

Site-and-branch-heterogeneous analyses of an expanded dataset favour mitochondria as sister to known Alphaproteobacteria

Determining the phylogenetic origin of mitochondria is key to understanding the ancestral mitochondrial symbiosis and its role in eukaryogenesis. However, the precise evolutionary relationship between mitochondria and their closest bacterial relatives remains hotly debated. The reasons include pervasive phylogenetic artefacts as well as limited protein and taxon sampling. Here we developed a new model of protein evolution that accommodates both across-site and across-branch compositional…

Genomics and transcriptomics yields a system-level view of the biology of the pathogen Naegleria fowleri

CONCLUSIONS: In-depth analysis of Naegleria genomes and transcriptomes provides a model of cellular systems involved in opportunistic pathogenicity, uncovering new angles to understanding the biology of a rare but highly fatal pathogen.