Apofrontonia dohrni sp. n. and the phylogenetic relationships within Peniculia (Protista, Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea)

Abstract

Apofrontonia dohrni, a new peniculine ciliate, was discovered in a slightly brackish water sample from Mediterranean coastline puddle in Naples, Italy. Its morphology was studied in vivo, in silver- and Feulgen-stained preparations, as well as at the scanning electron microscope; 18S rRNA gene sequence was also determined. The species is characterized by a medium cell size (118 x 61 mu m - fixed cell) and an oval-extended body, flattened dorsoventrally; a very long sausage-like macronucleus rolled up into almost a ring; a comparatively large compact micronucleus; relatively small number of vestibular kineties (4) and a peculiar structure of 3 peniculi, consisting of 5-6, 4-5 and 3 ciliary rows, respectively. The ciliate always has about 20 contractile vacuoles distributed beneath its entire body surface. Using these features, A. dohrni, definitely, can be easily discriminated from the two other species of the genus: Apofrontonia lametschwandtneri and Apofrontonia obtusa. T..

Two novel marine Frontonia species, Frontonia mengi spec. nov. and Frontonia magna spec. nov. (Protozoa; Ciliophora), with notes on their phylogeny based on small-subunit rRNA gene sequence data

“…Mobilia, Peniculia, Scuticociliatia, Hymenostomatia and Peritrichia, which is consistent with previous findings (e.g. Fokin et al, 2006;Li et al, 2006;Gao et al, 2008;Zhan et al, 2009). F. mengi and F. magna were unambiguously placed in the 'core' Frontonia clade and showed a close relationship to each other, although their positions in the BI and MP trees are interchanged.…”

Rare Freshwater Ciliate Paramecium chlorelligerum Kahl, 1935 and Its Macronuclear Symbiotic Bacterium “Candidatus Holospora parva”

“…In short, the first PCR was carried out with primers 18S F9 Euk (5’-CTGGTTGATCCTGCCAG-3’ [36]) and 18S R1513Hypo (5’-TGATCCTTCYGCAGGTTC-3’ [37]), then using as template the diluted first PCR product, a second step was performed employing two semi-nested PCRs: 1—using primers 18S F9 and Penic R1280 (5’-CGACACGTCCTAACAAGA-3’ [38]) and 2—with primers Penic F82 (5’-GAAACTGCGAATGGCTC-3’ [39]) and 18S R1513Hypo. The PCR products were then directly sequenced using eukaryotic universal internal primers, as shown in [40].…”

Molecular Characterization of the Obligate Endosymbiont “Caedibacter macronucleorum”Fokin and Görtz, 1993 and of its Host Paramecium duboscqui Strain Ku4‐8

“…In brief, a first PCR was performed with primers 18S F9 (Medlin et al 1988) and 18S R1513Hypo (Petroni et al 2002). This product was purified with PCR Kleen spin columns and used as template in two semi‐nested PCRs with primers 18S R1280Penic (Fokin et al 2006) and 18S F82 (Strüder‐Kypke et al 2000a), respectively. Polymerase chain reactions were carried out as described above but with an annealing temperature of 50°C.…”

“…Polymerase chain reactions were carried out as described above but with an annealing temperature of 50°C. The two products of semi‐nested PCR were sequenced using primers 18S R661Penic, 18S F987Penic (both Fokin et al 2006) and 18S R1052 (Rosati et al 2004). Sequencing was carried out by MWG Biotech (Ebersberg, Germany).…”

“…AF255359, Paramecium putrinum AF255360, Paramecium multimicronucleatum AF255361, Paramecium woodruffi AF255362, (Strüder‐Kypke et al 2000b); Paramecium schewiakoffi AJ548821 (Fokin et al 2004); P. tetraurelia X03772 (Sogin et al 1986); Frontonia vernalis U97110 (Hirt et al, unpubl. data), Frontonia leucas AM072622, Apofrontonia dohrni AM072621 (Fokin et al 2006). Phylogenetic analysis was performed as described in Fokin et al (2006) except for the outgroup selection.…”