Morphology and phylogenies of two hypotrichous brackish-water ciliates from China, Neourostylopsis orientalis n. sp. and Protogastrostyla sterkii (Wallengren, 1900) n. comb., with establishment of a new genus Neourostylopsis n. gen. (Protista, Ciliophora, Hypotrichia)

2013 ◽  
Vol 63 (Pt_3) ◽  
pp. 1197-1209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangrui Chen ◽  
Chen Shao ◽  
Xihan Liu ◽  
Jie Huang ◽  
Khaled A. S. Al-Rasheid

This paper investigates the morphology, infraciliature and small-subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequences of two hypotrichous ciliates, Neourostylopsis orientalis n. sp., and Protogastrostyla sterkii (Wallengren, 1900) n. comb. (basionym Gastrostyla sterkii), collected from coastal waters in southern China. Neourostylopsis orientalis n. sp. is diagnosed mainly by the arrangement of brownish cortical granules, the numbers of adoral membranelles and frontal and transverse cirri and the characteristics of its midventral cirral pairs. The SSU rRNA gene phylogeny strongly supports the establishment of the new genus Neourostylopsis n. gen., which is characterized mainly by the following features: frontal and transverse cirri clearly differentiated, buccal cirri present, two frontoterminal cirri, midventral complex composed of midventral pairs only and not exceeding the halfway point of the cell, more than one row of marginal cirri on each side which derive from individual anlagen within each parental row, caudal cirri lacking. Thus, two new combinations are required: Neourostylopsis songi (Lei et al., 2005) n. comb., and Neourostylopsis flavicana (Wang et al., 2011) n. comb. Additionally, improved diagnoses for both Metaurostylopsis and Apourostylopsis are supplied in this study. Protogastrostyla sterkii (Wallengren, 1900) n. comb. differs from the similar congener Protogastrostyla pulchra mainly in body shape, ratio of buccal field to body length in vivo and molecular data. Based on the present studies, we conclude that the estuarine population of P. pulchra collected by J. Gong and others [Gong et al., J Eukaryot Microbiol (2007) 54, 468–478] is a population of P. sterkii.

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4732 (3) ◽  
pp. 435-452
Author(s):  
MD ABU TAHER ◽  
AHMED SALAHUDDIN KABIR ◽  
SHAHED UDDIN AHMED SHAZIB ◽  
MIN SEOK KIM ◽  
MANN KYOON SHIN

The morphologies of the three freshwater stentorid ciliates in Korea, Stentor coeruleus (Pallas, 1766); Stentor muelleri Ehrenberg, 1831, and Stentor tartari Murthy & Bai, 1974, were investigated based on live observations and protargol impregnation. The Korean population of S. tartari exhibits the following characteristics: body size 200–355 × 85–135 µm in vivo, 62–106 somatic kineties, 8–13 peristomial kineties, 110–180 adoral membranelles, mostly two macronuclear nodules and 5–18 micronuclei, reddish and colorless cortical granules and the presence of symbiotic algae. We identified S. tartari based on unique characteristics compared to close congeners. Korean populations of S. coeruleus and S. muelleri are congruent with previously described populations in most aspects of their morphologies. Here, for the first time, we report molecular gene sequence information for S. tartari. Small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequence-based phylogeny indicates that S. tartari, which has multiple macronuclei, forms a monophyletic group with other Stentor species having a single macronucleus. Our findings based on morphology and SSU rRNA gene sequence information corroborate the hypothesis that the elongated macronucleus evolved from the compact single or multi macronucleus state. 


2015 ◽  
Vol 65 (Pt_12) ◽  
pp. 4323-4334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhishuai Qu ◽  
Hongbo Pan ◽  
Khaled A. S. Al-Rasheid ◽  
Xiaozhong Hu ◽  
Shan Gao

Three cyrtophorian ciliates isolated from brackish biotopes in China, Pseudochilodonopsis quadrivacuolata sp. nov., Pseudochilodonopsis fluviatilis Foissner, 1988 and Pseudochilodonopsis mutabilis Foissner, 1981, were investigated using living observation and protargol-staining methods. P. quadrivacuolata sp. nov. can be characterized as follows: cell size 50–70 × 30–40 μm in vivo; body oval with posterior end rounded; four tetragonally positioned contractile vacuoles; 12–15 nematodesmal rods; five right and six left somatic kineties; terminal fragment positioned apically on dorsal side, consisting of 11–14 basal bodies; four or five fragments in preoral kinety. P. fluviatilis and P. mutabilis were generally consistent with previous descriptions. In addition, a brief revision and a key to Pseudochilodonopsis are presented. The small-subunit (SSU) rRNA gene was also sequenced to support the identification of these species. Phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data indicate that the genera Pseudochilodonopsis and Chilodonella are closely related and both are well outlined; that is, all known congeners for which SSU rRNA gene sequence data are available group together, forming the core part of the family Chilodonellidae.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey S. McLean ◽  
Batbileg Bor ◽  
Thao T. To ◽  
Quanhui Liu ◽  
Kristopher A. Kerns ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTRecently, we discovered that a member of the Saccharibacteria/TM7 phylum (strain TM7x) isolated from the human oral cavity, has an ultra-small cell size (200-300nm), a highly reduced genome (705 Kbp) with limited de novo biosynthetic capabilities, and a very novel lifestyle as an obligate epibiont on the surface of another bacterium 1. There has been considerable interest in uncultivated phyla, particularly those that are now classified as the proposed candidate phyla radiation (CPR) reported to include 35 or more phyla and are estimated to make up nearly 15% of the domain Bacteria. Most members of the larger CPR group share genomic properties with Saccharibacteria including reduced genomes (<1Mbp) and lack of biosynthetic capabilities, yet to date, strain TM7x represents the only member of the CPR that has been cultivated and is one of only three CPR routinely detected in the human body. Through small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene surveys, members of the Saccharibacteria phylum are reported in many environments as well as within a diversity of host species and have been shown to increase dramatically in human oral and gut diseases. With a single copy of the 16S rRNA gene resolved on a few limited genomes, their absolute abundance is most often underestimated and their potential role in disease pathogenesis is therefore underappreciated. Despite being an obligate parasite dependent on other bacteria, six groups (G1-G6) are recognized using SSU rRNA gene phylogeny in the oral cavity alone. At present, only genomes from the G1 group, which includes related and remarkably syntenic environmental and human oral associated representatives1, have been uncovered to date. In this study we systematically captured the spectrum of known diversity in this phylum by reconstructing completely novel Class level genomes belonging to groups G3, G6 and G5 through cultivation enrichment and/or metagenomic binning from humans and mammalian rumen. Additional genomes for representatives of G1 were also obtained from modern oral plaque and ancient dental calculus. Comparative analysis revealed remarkable divergence in the host-associated members across this phylum. Within the human oral cavity alone, variation in as much as 70% of the genes from nearest oral clade (AAI 50%) as well as wide GC content variation is evident in these newly captured divergent members (G3, G5 and G6) with no environmental relatives. Comparative analyses suggest independent episodes of transmission of these TM7 groups into humans and convergent evolution of several key functions during adaptation within hosts. In addition, we provide evidence from in vivo collected samples that each of these major groups are ultra-small in size and are found attached to larger cells.


Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2005 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
WEIWEI LIU ◽  
JIQIU LI ◽  
SHAN GAO ◽  
CHEN SHAO ◽  
JUN GONG ◽  
...  

The morphology of a new marine urostylid ciliate, Apokeronopsis sinica n. sp., collected from the Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, was investigated. Additionally, the SSrRNA gene was sequenced in order to make a comparison at molecular level. Based on both morphological and molecular data, descriptions and comparisons with its congeners are provided. Apokeronopsis sinica is characterized by: body size about 150–200 × 50–65 µm in vivo; two kinds of cortical granules; about 20 cirri in frontal area which form the non-typical bicorona; 2 frontoterminal, ca. 4 buccal and 10 transverse cirri; midventral complex consists of 21–32 pairs of cirri; on average 35 right and 30 left marginal cirri; about 50 membranelles; invariably 3 dorsal kineties. A key to the identification of the known Apokeronopsis species was suggested. The small subunit rRNA gene sequence differences between Apokeronopsis sinica and its congeners range from 1.64% to 3.72%.


2010 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 234-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangrui Chen ◽  
Shan Gao ◽  
Weibo Song ◽  
Khaled A. S. Al-Rasheid ◽  
Alan Warren ◽  
...  

Few studies using modern methods have been carried out on ciliated protozoa in tropical marine waters. In the present work, two hypotrichs, Parabirojimia multinucleata spec. nov. and Anteholosticha scutellum (Cohn, 1866) Berger, 2003, collected from Daya Bay in southern China, were investigated morphologically. P. multinucleata is distinguished by the following combination of characters: slender body, without a snout-like protrusion in the frontal field, and about 50 macronuclear nodules. The poorly known A. scutellum has never been investigated using modern methods; hence, a redescription is needed. During the present study, observations of specimens in vivo and following protargol impregnation revealed new information concerning structures such as the cortical granules and the infraciliature. A redescription and improved diagnosis are supplied based on the China population. The small-subunit (SSU) rRNA gene was sequenced for both organisms and comparisons with those of similar congeners clearly support the findings based on morphological studies.


2013 ◽  
Vol 63 (Pt_3) ◽  
pp. 1155-1164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xumiao Chen ◽  
Miao Miao ◽  
Honggang Ma ◽  
Chen Shao ◽  
Khaled A. S. Al-Rasheid

A novel stichotrich ciliate, Strongylidium orientale sp. nov., was discovered from a mangrove river in Hong Kong, southern China, and its morphology was investigated through observations in vivo and after protargol impregnation. Cells are 80–120×35–50 µm in vivo and fusiform in shape, with rounded anterior and tapered posterior ends. It is characterized by its brackish habitat and by the presence of two types of cortical granules arranged irregularly throughout the cortex. Morphogenetic events of cell division and physiological reorganization are described. The main ontogenetic features were: (i) only the posterior portion of the parental adoral zone of membranelles was renewed by dedifferentiation of the old structures; (ii) the oral primordium in the opisthe occurred apokinetally; (iii) the left and right ventral rows originated intrakinetally and the final left ventral row was spliced from two cirri from the frontoventral cirral anlage, a short cirral row from the anlage for the right ventral row and a long cirral row which was formed from the whole anlage of the left ventral row; (iv) the marginal rows developed intrakinetally; (v) the dorsal kineties replicated entirely de novo and did not fragment; and (vi) the two macronuclear nodules fused into a mass and then divided. Based on small-subunit rRNA gene sequences, phylogenetic analyses showed a close relationship with its congener Strongylidium pseudocrassum and with the genus Pseudouroleptus.


2006 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 1449-1458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergey I. Nikolaev ◽  
Cédric Berney ◽  
Nikolai B. Petrov ◽  
Alexandre P. Mylnikov ◽  
José F. Fahrni ◽  
...  

Recent molecular phylogenetic studies have led to the erection of the phylum Amoebozoa, uniting naked and testate lobose amoebae, the mycetozoan slime moulds and amitochondriate amoeboid protists (Archamoebae). Molecular data together with ultrastructural evidence have suggested a close relationship between Mycetozoa and Archamoebae, classified together in the Conosea, which was named after the cone of microtubules that, when present, is characteristic of their kinetids. However, the relationships of conoseans to other amoebozoans remain unclear. Here, we obtained the complete small-subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequence (2746 bp) of the enigmatic, multiflagellated protist Multicilia marina, which has formerly been classified either in a distinct phylum, Multiflagellata, or among lobose amoebae. Our study clearly shows that Multicilia marina belongs to the Amoebozoa. Phylogenetic analyses including 60 amoebozoan SSU rRNA gene sequences revealed that Multicilia marina branches at the base of the Conosea, together with another flagellated amoebozoan, Phalansterium solitarium, as well as with Gephyramoeba sp., Filamoeba nolandi and two unidentified amoebae. This is the first report showing strong support for a clade containing all flagellated amoebozoans and we discuss the position of the root of the phylum Amoebozoa in the light of this result.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyang Ma ◽  
Tengyue Zhang ◽  
Weibo Song ◽  
Chen Shao

Ciliated protists (ciliates) are extremely diverse and play important ecological roles in almost all kinds of habitats. In this study, two new hypotrichs, Wilbertophrya sinica n. g. and n. sp. and Bakuella xianensis n. sp., from China are investigated. Wilbertophrya n. g. can be separated from related genera mainly by the combination of lacking a buccal cirrus, pretransverse cirri, and caudal cirri, while possessing frontoterminal cirri. Analyses based on morphological and molecular data confirm the validity of the species, W. sinica n. sp., which is characterized as follows: body 50–115 μm × 15–35 μm in vivo; midventral complex comprises four or five cirral pairs only and terminates above mid-body; three frontal, two frontoterminal cirri, and two to four transverse cirri; about 15 macronuclear nodules; colorless cortical granules sparsely distributed. Another new species, B. xianensis n. sp., was isolated from a freshwater wetland and is defined as follows: body 115–150 μm × 40–65 μm in vivo; about 70 macronuclear nodules; dark-brownish cortical granules in groups; midventral complex comprises 8–12 cirral pairs forming a row that terminates posteriorly in mid-body region and two or three short midventral rows that are continuous with the row of midventral pairs; three frontal, four to six frontoterminal, and three to five fine transverse cirri; three bipolar dorsal kineties. Phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) sequence data suggest that the new genus Wilbertophrya n. g. belongs to an isolated clade, which might represent an undescribed taxon at the family level, whereas B. xianensis n. sp. groups with several congeners and members of other related genera are within the core urostylids.


1998 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 3378-3381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Liu ◽  
Shenghua Zhu ◽  
Sahoko Mizuno ◽  
Masatsugu Kimura ◽  
Peina Liu ◽  
...  

By two PCR-based diagnostic methods, Plasmodium malariae infections have been rediscovered at two foci in the Sichuan province of China, a region where no cases of P. malariae have been officially reported for the last 2 decades. In addition, a variant form of P. malariae which has a deletion of 19 bp and seven substitutions of base pairs in the target sequence of the small-subunit (SSU) rRNA gene was detected with high frequency. Alignment analysis of Plasmodium sp. SSU rRNA gene sequences revealed that the 5′ region of the variant sequence is identical to that of P. vivax or P. knowlesi and its 3′ region is identical to that of P. malariae. The same sequence variations were also found inP. malariae isolates collected along the Thai-Myanmar border, suggesting a wide distribution of this variant form from southern China to Southeast Asia.


2014 ◽  
Vol 64 (Pt_9) ◽  
pp. 3016-3027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Shao ◽  
Zhao Lv ◽  
Ying Pan ◽  
Khaled A. S. Al-Rasheid ◽  
Zhenzhen Yi

The morphology and infraciliature of two hypotrichous ciliates, Oxytricha paragranulifera n. sp. and Oxytricha granulifera Foissner and Adam, 1983, collected respectively from the surface of a sandy soil in the Huguang mangrove forest, Zhanjiang, China, and the surface of soil in a forest beside Ziwu Road, Xian, north-west China, were examined. O. paragranulifera n. sp. is characterized by an elongate body with slightly tapered anterior end, two macronuclear nodules and two micronuclei, paroral and endoral in Stylonychia-pattern, colourless cortical granules distributed in clusters or irregular short rows, adoral zone occupying 37 % of the body length, marginal rows almost confluent posteriorly, six dorsal kineties and three caudal cirri, caudal cirri and dorsal bristles almost indistinguishable when viewed in vivo. The well-known O. granulifera Foissner and Adam, 1983 was also redescribed and can be separated from the novel species by having cortical granules arranged along dorsal kineties and marginal rows on both sides (vs grouped in clusters as well as in short irregular rows), paroral and endoral in Oxytricha-pattern (vs in Stylonychia-pattern), macronuclear nodules obviously detached (vs adjacent) and a non-saline terrestrial habitat (vs saline terrestrial). The separation of these two taxa is also firmly supported by the molecular data, which show a significant difference between the two in their SSU rRNA gene sequences (similarity 97.1 %). Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rRNA gene sequence data suggest a close relationship within the Oxytrichidae assemblage between O. paragranulifera n. sp. and O. granulifera.


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