Taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of two new Blepharisma species (Ciliophora, Heterotrichea) from northeastern China

Hao, Tingting; Li, Bailin; Song, Yumeng; Warren, Alan; Pan, Xuming

doi:10.1016/j.ejop.2022.125908

Cited by 3 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…The genus Blepharisma exhibits considerable diversity in cell size and shape, with numerous morphospecies identified to date [ 5 , 6 , 8 ]. Our previous investigations and the present study shed light on the relationship between these morphospecies and biological species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The phylogenetic relationships within Blepharisma have historically relied primarily on morphology and SSU rRNA gene analyses [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. However, due to the lack of sequence variability across the species of Blepharisma , the SSU rRNA gene was deemed inadequate to elucidate species diversification processes and phylogenetic relationships.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Blepharisma species are classified mainly based on morphological characteristics and SSU rRNA gene sequences [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. So far, dozens of species (morphospecies) within this genus have been reported, and the number of known species is continually increasing [ 6 , 8 ]. While some of these evolutionary relationships are not monophyletic and show substantial molecular divergence, the majority of them belong to a single clade [ 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Blepharisma (Alveolata, Ciliophora) is a genus widely distributed worldwide [1,2], even in extreme environments [3,4], that exhibits highly diverse ranges of cell sizes and nuclear morphologies [1]. Blepharisma species are classified mainly based on morphological characteristics and SSU rRNA gene sequences [5][6][7][8]. So far, dozens of species (morphospecies) within this genus have been reported, and the number of known species is continually increasing [6,8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mating Pheromone (Gamone 1) in Blepharisma: A Glycoprotein Responsible for Species Diversity in Unicellular Organisms (Alveolata, Ciliophora)

Kobayashi,

Sugiura,

Iwasaki

et al. 2024

Microorganisms

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The genus Blepharisma (Alveolata, Ciliophora) is a unicellular organism distributed worldwide, even in extreme environments, and comprises numerous species. While usually proliferating through cell division, Blepharisma undergoes sexual reproduction (conjugation) when cells are moderately starved. Conjugation is initiated by mating pheromones (gamone 1 and gamone 2) secreted by complementary mating-type cells. Gamone 1, a glycoprotein, functions in a species-specific manner, while gamone 2, an amino acid derivative, is a common molecule across species. The specific function of gamone 1 suggests the possibility that mutations in gamone 1 might have led to reproductive isolation during the evolutionary process, triggering species diversification. In this study, by comparing the amino acid sequences of gamone 1 homologs from 15 strains (representing five species), we found that mutations resulting in distinct amino acid properties occur across species boundaries and are mainly concentrated at two specific regions within gamone 1. These mutations potentially alter the binding affinity of gamone 1 to its receptors, suggesting their effect in causing reproductive isolation. The interspecies artificial conjugation conducted previously and the molecular phylogenetic tree constructed using the gamone 1 homolog sequences in this study provide insights into the speciation process within the genus Blepharisma.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mating Pheromone (Gamone 1) in Blepharisma: A Glycoprotein Responsible for Species Diversity in Unicellular Organisms (Alveolata, Ciliophora)

Kobayashi,

Sugiura,

Iwasaki

et al. 2024

Microorganisms

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“…The details of the differences in steps for inhibition are still unknown, but may be related to the genetic distance between MKs. There are plenty of phylogenetic trees for Blepharisma species using SSU rRNA have been reported [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. However, as the sequence of SSU rRNA is so close from species to species in Blepharisma and is not suitable to reveal the relationship between species, other markers should be used for the analysis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible Third Step Preventing Conjugation between Different Species of Blepharisma

Sugino

Kobayashi²,

Sugiura³

et al. 2023

Microorganisms

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In the genus Blepharisma, reproductive isolation between different species appears to be established at least by two barriers: (1) a mating pheromone, i.e., gamone 1, and (2) a factor involved in pair formation. Using four species, we experimentally investigated other potential barriers to interspecific conjugation in Blepharisma, as well as the first and second barriers. Cell-free fluid from type I cells (CFF1) of B. americanum had no effect on B. undulans, B. japonicum, or B. stoltei. Type II cells of B. americanum responded to CFF1 from B. americanum but not to CFF1 from B. undulans, B. japonicum, or B. stoltei. Gamone 1, therefore, seems to be the first reproductive barrier (with the inclusion of B. americanum species [megakaryotype 3]) as reported previously. In pretreated cells with complementary gamones in B. undulans and B. americanum, inter-species pair formation was rare, but pair formation between B. americanum and B. japonicum and between B. americanum and B. stoltei occurred at relatively high frequency. Most of the inter-species B. americanum–B. stoltei pairs underwent nuclear changes specific to conjugation. No significant difference was observed between the intra- and inter-species pairs over the time course of the nuclear changes, but the percentage of abnormal cells was higher in inter-species pairs than in intra-species pairs, and no progenies were produced by inter-species pairs. These results suggest a third barrier or step, in addition to the first and second ones, in nuclear changes after pair formation that prevents interspecific conjugation in Blepharisma.

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Exploring the biogeography, morphology, and phylogeny of the condylostomatid ciliates (Alveolata, Ciliophora, Heterotrichea), with establishment of four new Condylostoma species and a revision including redescriptions of five species found in China

Chi,

Wei,

Tang

et al. 2024

Mar Life Sci Technol

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Species of the ciliate class Heterotrichea Stein, 1859 are a cosmopolitan group of unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms, many of which have been widely used as models in various fields of research such as regenerative biology, functional ecology, environmental toxicology, and symbiotic behavior. However, species identification in the heterotrich family Condylostomatidae, especially the most species-rich and type genus Condylostoma Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1824, remains challenging due to incomplete original descriptions, few reliable distinguishing characters, and overlapping features between different species. This study presents an updated revision of Condylostoma and its related genus Condylostomides da Silva Neto, 1994 based on descriptions of five species, including nine populations collected from China, using both morphological and molecular methods. The main findings are as follows: (1) 43 nominal species and about 130 populations are reviewed, resulting in the recognition of 30 valid species of Condylostoma and eight valid species of Condylostomides; (2) keys, synonyms, biogeographic distributions and amended/improved diagnoses of all valid species are provided; (3) based on the available data, four new Condylostoma species (C. marinum sp. nov., C. petzi sp. nov., C. villeneuvei sp. nov., and C. microstomum sp. nov.), one new combination (Condylostomides minimus (Dragesco, 1954) comb. nov. & nom. corr.), and two corrected names (Condylostoma ancestrale Villeneuve-Brachon, 1940 nom. corr. and Condylostomides nigrus (Dragesco, 1960) nom. corr.) are suggested; (4) cryptic species are detected and proposed for the first time to form the Condylostoma curvum species complex; (5) three highly confusing Condylostoma species, C. kris, C. spatiosum, and C. minutum, are redefined for the first time based on modern taxonomic methods; (6) a ‘flagship’ species, Condylostomides coeruleus, is recorded for the first time from the continent of Asia, substantially expanding its biogeography; (7) ciliature adjacent to the distal end of the paroral membrane within the family Condylostomatidae is uniformly defined as frontal membranelles and is classified into three patterns according to the arrangement of kinetosomes, which serve as important key features.

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Taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of two new Blepharisma species (Ciliophora, Heterotrichea) from northeastern China

Cited by 3 publications

References 45 publications

Mating Pheromone (Gamone 1) in Blepharisma: A Glycoprotein Responsible for Species Diversity in Unicellular Organisms (Alveolata, Ciliophora)

Mating Pheromone (Gamone 1) in Blepharisma: A Glycoprotein Responsible for Species Diversity in Unicellular Organisms (Alveolata, Ciliophora)

Possible Third Step Preventing Conjugation between Different Species of Blepharisma

Exploring the biogeography, morphology, and phylogeny of the condylostomatid ciliates (Alveolata, Ciliophora, Heterotrichea), with establishment of four new Condylostoma species and a revision including redescriptions of five species found in China

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