Bolidophyceae, a Sister Picoplanktonic Group of Diatoms – A Review

Akira Kuwata,Shinya Yoshikawa,Margot Tragin,Daniel Vaulot,Kazumasa Yamada,Adriana Lopes dos Santos,Mutsuo Ichinomiya

doi:10.3389/fmars.2018.00370

Abstract

Pico- and nano-phytoplankton (respectively, 0.2-2 and 2-20 µm in cell size) play a key role in many marine ecosystems. In this size range, Bolidophyceae is a group of eukaryotes that contains species with cells surrounded by 5 or 8 silica plates (Parmales) as well as naked flagellated species (formerly Bolidomonadales). Bolidophyceae share a common ancestor with diatoms, one of the most successful groups of phytoplankton. This review summarizes the current information on taxonomy, phylogeny, ecology and physiology obtained by recent studies using a range of approaches including metabarcoding. Despite their rather small contribution to the phytoplankton communities (on average less than 0.1%), Bolidophyceae are very widespread throughout marine systems from the tropics to the pole. This review concludes by discussing similarities and differences between Bolidophyceae and diatoms.

Highlights

Following the appearance of oxygenic photosynthesis in the ancestors of cyanobacteria, this complex process was distributed across all eukaryotic lineages via permanent primary, secondary, and tertiary endosymbioses (Not et al, 2012)
This review summarizes the discovery of Bolidophyceae and current information of phylogeny, ecology, and physiology obtained by recent studies using a range of approaches
Phylogenetic analyses based on 18S ribosomal rRNA sequences from the new strain demonstrated that T. laevis was closely related to Bolidophyceae (Ichinomiya et al, 2011), rather than part of Chrysophyceae as hypothesized initially (Booth and Marchant, 1987)

Summary

Introduction

Following the appearance of oxygenic photosynthesis in the ancestors of cyanobacteria, this complex process was distributed across all eukaryotic lineages via permanent primary, secondary, and tertiary endosymbioses (Not et al, 2012). Phylogenetic analyses based on 18S ribosomal rRNA sequences from the new strain demonstrated that T. laevis was closely related to Bolidophyceae (Ichinomiya et al, 2011), rather than part of Chrysophyceae as hypothesized initially (Booth and Marchant, 1987).

Results

Conclusion