Premium
Phagotrophy in chlorarachniophyte algae: implications for eukaryotic genome evolution
Author(s) -
ARCHIBALD JOHN M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of eukaryotic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 1066-5234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2005.05202003_1_5.x
Subject(s) - biology , algae , endosymbiosis , plastid , green algae , botany , symbiosis , genome , cyanobacteria , chlorophyta , microbiology and biotechnology , chloroplast , bacteria , gene , biochemistry , paleontology
The chlorarachniophytes are a group of marine amoeboflagellate algae that acquired photosynthesis by secondary endosymbiosis. Together with cryptomonad algae, the chlorarachniophytes are unusual in that they have retained the nucleus of their eukaryotic endosymbiont. The host component of chlorarachniophyte cells is derived from a member of the Cercozoa while the chlorarachnion endosymbiont is green algal in origin. In addition to being able to photosynthesize, chlorarachniophytes have been shown to ingest other algae and bacteria, although the exact nature of engulfment, and the frequency with which this occurs in nature is unknown. Here, I present a light micrographic study of phagotrophy in three chlorarachniophytes, Chlorarachnion reptans , Lotharella sp. 240 and Gymnochlora stellata . These organisms readily ingest a wide variety of algae, including cryptomonads, haptophytes and green algae. The mechanism of capture and ingestion involves adhesion to, fusion with, and digestion within the pseudopodia formed by chlorarachniophyte cells. The implications of phagotrophy on the chlorarachniophyte nuclear genome are discussed.