Macroevolution of complex cytoskeletal systems in euglenids

Leander, Brian S.; Esson, Heather J.; Breglia, Susana A.

doi:10.1002/bies.20645

Cited by 69 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…This phylum also includes free-living kinetoplastids, as well as the diplonemids, euglenid microalgae and their heterotrophic relatives, and a novel clade known as the Symbiontida (8,40). Although the trypanosomes and phototrophic euglenids have been studied extensively ultrastructurally (18,24), the cytoskeletons of free-living kinetoplastids, heterotrophic euglenids, and diplonemids are not as well understood.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is particularly apparent in the cytoskeleton, which has been simplified considerably compared to those of other, free-living members of the Euglenozoa (9,22,24). The latter species have a complex basal body apparatus normally giving rise to two or more anteriorly inserted flagella and three microtubule roots, one of which extends to line a feeding apparatus.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…This feeding apparatus is separate from both the flagellar pocket and the cortical region of the cell. It has been retained in at least one parasite (T. cruzi) and is reduced in some free-living taxa, for example, the phototrophic euglenids (2,24,26). T. brucei, on the other hand, has a single flagellum emerging from a flagellar pocket near the posterior end of the cell and completely lacks an independent feeding apparatus.…”

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Morphology of the Trypanosome Bilobe, a Novel Cytoskeletal Structure

et al. 2012

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The trypanosome bilobe is a cytoskeletal structure of unclear function. To date, four proteins have been shown to localize stably to it: TbMORN1, TbLRRP1, TbCentrin2, and TbCentrin4. In this study, a combination of immunofluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy was used to explore the morphology of the bilobe and its relationship to other nearby cytoskeletal structures in the African trypanosome procyclic trypomastigote. The use of detergent/salt-extracted flagellum preparations was found to be an effective way of discerning features of the cytoskeletal ultrastructure that are normally obscured. TbMORN1 and TbCentrin4 together define a hairpin structure comprising an arm of TbCentrin4 and a fishhook of TbMORN1. The two arms flank a specialized microtubule quartet and the flagellum attachment zone filament, with TbMORN1 running alongside the former and TbCentrin4 alongside the latter. The hooked part of TbMORN1 sits atop the flagellar pocket collar marked by TbBILBO1. The TbMORN1 bilobe occasionally exhibits tendrillar extensions that seem to be connected to the basal and probasal bodies. The TbMORN1 molecules present on these tendrils undergo higher rates of turnover than those for molecules on the main bilobe structure. These observations have been integrated with previous detailed descriptions of the cytoskeletal elements in trypanosome cells.

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Morphology of the Trypanosome Bilobe, a Novel Cytoskeletal Structure

et al. 2012

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“…Members of Euglenozoa have diverse modes of nutrition, including predation, parasitism, and photoautotrophy. Predatory euglenozoans are phylogenetically widespread within the group and tend to have diverse feeding apparatuses, feeding strategies and prey preferences (1). For instance, some predatory species are limited to small prey such as bacteria, whereas other species frequently consume larger prey, such as other eukaryotic cells.…”

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“…For instance, some predatory species are limited to small prey such as bacteria, whereas other species frequently consume larger prey, such as other eukaryotic cells. Photoautotrophy is restricted to a specific subclade of euglenids and originated via secondary endosymbiosis between a predatory euglenid and a green algal prey (1). Parasitic and commensalic euglenozoans appear to have evolved independently several times within kinetoplastids (2), and some species (e.g., Trypanosoma and Leishmania) cause important human illnesses such as African sleeping sickness, Chagas's disease, and leishmaniases.…”

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Cascades of convergent evolution: The corresponding evolutionary histories of euglenozoans and dinoflagellates

Lukeš

Leander

Keeling

2009

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The majority of eukaryotic diversity is hidden in protists, yet our current knowledge of processes and structures in the eukaryotic cell is almost exclusively derived from multicellular organisms. The increasing sensitivity of molecular methods and growing interest in microeukaryotes has only recently demonstrated that many features so far considered to be universal for eukaryotes actually exist in strikingly different versions. In other words, during their long evolutionary histories, protists have solved general biological problems in many more ways than previously appreciated. Interestingly, some groups have broken more rules than others, and the Euglenozoa and the Alveolata stand out in this respect. A review of the numerous odd features in these 2 groups allows us to draw attention to the high level of convergent evolution in protists, which perhaps reflects the limits that certain features can be altered. Moreover, the appearance of one deviation in an ancestor can constrain the set of possible downstream deviations in its descendents, so features that might be independent functionally, can still be evolutionarily linked. What functional advantage may be conferred by the excessive complexity of euglenozoan and alveolate gene expression, organellar genome structure, and RNA editing and processing has been thoroughly debated, but we suggest these are more likely the products of constructive neutral evolution, and as such do not necessarily confer any selective advantage at all. mitochondria ͉ plastids ͉ comparative genomics ͉ molecular evolution ͉ Trypanosoma

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Fast and efficient molecule delivery into Euglena gracilis mediated by cell‐penetrating peptide or dimethyl sulfoxide

Gao

Sun

2023

FEBS Open Bio

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This study describes the development of two methods for delivering exogenous materials into Euglena gracilis, a unicellular flagellate organism. We report that the use of Pep‐1, a short cell‐penetrating peptide (CPP), or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) can mediate fast and efficient intracellular delivery of exogenous materials into E. gracilis, achieving cellular entry efficiency as high as 70–80%. However, compared with human cells, the penetration of this algal cell with CPP requires a much higher concentration of purified proteins. In addition, upon convenient treatment with DMSO, E. gracilis cells can efficiently adsorb exogenous proteins and DNA with 10% DMSO as the optimal concentration for Euglena cells. Our results provide more options for the E. gracilis transformation ‘toolkit box’ and will facilitate future molecular manipulations of this microalgal organism.

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Macroevolution of complex cytoskeletal systems in euglenids

Cited by 69 publications

References 63 publications

Morphology of the Trypanosome Bilobe, a Novel Cytoskeletal Structure

Morphology of the Trypanosome Bilobe, a Novel Cytoskeletal Structure

Cascades of convergent evolution: The corresponding evolutionary histories of euglenozoans and dinoflagellates

Fast and efficient molecule delivery into Euglena gracilis mediated by cell‐penetrating peptide or dimethyl sulfoxide

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