Trends in Parasitology
Parasite of the MonthAmoebophrya ceratii
Section snippets
KEY FACTS:
A. ceratii is haploid, with V-shaped permanently condensed chromosomes during most of its life cycle. Genomes are rather small (hundreds of Mb) compared with other dinoflagellates (∼3–245 Gb).
Genes are grouped into unidirectional clusters, and mRNAs are trans-spliced. In two strains, introns were predominantly non-canonicals (differing from the GT-AG motif) and partly composed of introners acting as transposable elements.
The complex III of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) pathway is
DISEASE FACTS:
Infection occurs either in the nucleus or cytoplasm. Once inside the host, the A. ceratii nutrition mode starts with osmotrophy and then shifts to phagotrophy. Predigested host chromosomes are sucked into feeding tubes and consumed in food vacuoles.
During the infection, the host is ‘zombified’: it still swims, with functional mitochondria and chloroplasts, despite the complete digestion of its nucleus. The energy produced by the host organelles likely benefits the parasitoid.
The lifespan of
TAXONOMY AND CLASSIFICATION:
PHYLUM: Myzozoa
CLASS: Dinoflagellata
ORDER: Syndiniales
FAMILY: Amoebophryidae
GENUS: Amoebophrya
SPECIES: A. ceratii (species complex composed of multiple cryptic species)
Acknowledgments
This research is funded by the ANR (ANR-21-CE02-0030-01 EPHEMER). Electron microscopy images were provided by Sophie Lepanse (MERIMAGE platform, Station Biologique of Roscoff) and Gérard Prensier (in memory). Estelle Bigeard (Station Biologique of Roscoff) is in charge of parasitic strains within the Roscoff Culture Collection (RCC).
Declaration of interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
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Cited by (1)
Developing model systems for dinoflagellates in the post-genomic era
2023, Journal of Phycology
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Twitter: @guillou_laure (L. Guillou) and @C_AlvesDeSouza (C. Alves-de-Souza).