Barthelonids represent a deep-branching metamonad clade with mitochondrion-related organelles predicted to generate no ATP.

ABSTRACT: We here report the phylogenetic position of barthelonids, small anaerobic flagellates previously examined using light microscopy alone. Barthelona spp. were isolated from geographically distinct regions and we established five laboratory strains. Transcriptomic data generated from one Barthelona strain (PAP020) were used for large-scale, multi-gene phylogenetic (phylogenomic) analyses. Our analyses robustly placed strain PAP020 at the base of the Fornicata clade, indicating that barthelonids represent a deep-branching metamonad clade. Considering the anaerobic/microaerophilic nature of barthelonids and preliminary electron microscopy observations on strain PAP020, we suspected that barthelonids possess functionally and structurally reduced mitochondria (i.e. mitochondrion-rel

SUBMITTER: Yazaki E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7542792 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature