Protists Research Articles

Morpho-anatomical characters of few members belonging to Kingdom Protista from Safari Park, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

The present study was carried out on Safari Park, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The sampling was carried out randomly in different seasons from different water bodies of the park especially from Lake. Thirty-seven species belonging to six genera i.e., Pediastrum (4 species & 11% abundance), Trachelomonas (4 species & 11% abundance), Euglena (11 species & 30% abundance), Phacus (12 species & 32% abundance), Lepocinclis (1 species & 3% abundance) and (5 species & 13% abundance). All genera belong to kingdom Protista, two phyla i.e., Volvocophycota and Euglenophycota, two classes i.e., Volvocophyceae & Euglenophyceae, two orders chlorocoocales and Euglenales and three families i.e., Hydrodictyaceae, Euglenaceae and Naviculaceae.

Can virophages be used for management of viral infections?

Virophages parasitizing giant viruses have been reported in the members of Kingdom Protista. Hyperparasites such as bacteriophages and predators have been used to control bacterial infections and insect pests, respectively. Presently, it is proposed to use the virophages for management of viral infections in humans and animals, especially in terminally ill patients with grave prognosis. It is hypothesised that the use of appropriate virophage will reduce the viral load and promote host cell survival. The testing of hypothesis involves in vitro and in vivo experiments after isolation of candidate virophages through a large scale screening of environmental and clinical samples. Critical challenges will be to identify suitable virophages-viruses pairs that could be associated with mammalian cells of medical and veterinary importance and assessment of their combined interactions with host. If suitably developed, virophage therapy opens new avenues for treatment of acute and slow viral infections, especially in cases where therapeutic managemental options are limited. However, there are major concerns regarding limited understanding of virophage biology, functions of several proteins coded in its genome, chances of integration with host genomes and its implications.

PENGEMBANGAN HANDOUT MATERI PROTISTA KELAS X BERBASIS KEARIFAN PANGAN LOKAL “UTA METI” MASYARAKAT AMBON, INDONESIA

The development of teaching materials in Indonesia is still minimal, especially teaching materials based on local wisdom in the form of customs, traditions and food. Even though it combines elements of local wisdom in a lesson such as science learning. Uta meti is one of the local wisdoms of the Ambon area, especially Latuhalat village which is quite well known and on average the local people have consumed it. Interestingly uta meti is a type of algae belonging to the kingdom Protista, which can be developed into an alternative teaching material. This study aims to develop an alternative teaching material in the form of handout based on local wisdom related to protist material for class X SMA to make it easier for students to understand protist material. This type of research is R&D research with the ADDIE model, the test subjects in this development research are 6 experts to validate the product and 34 class X students of SMAN 10 Ambon as potential users. Data collection techniques were carried out by interviews and questionnaires. Data were analyzed descriptively quantitatively and qualitatively, using a likert scale as a measurement scale. The results showed that in the validation test and 2 field trials the uta meti local food wisdom- based protista handout developed for class X students was included in the very feasible category with an average percentage of 2 trials of 81% and 83%.

Canine Leishmaniasis diagnosis by direct examination: Case report

Leishmaniasis is a zoonosis caused by a protozoan of the kingdom Protista of the genus Leishmania, it is a public health problem with an unfavorable prognosis for infected animals. The city of Unaí - MG in northwest Minas Gerais, is considered an endemic area of the disease, with great casuistry animals and humans. A dog with a complaint of rectal prolapse was examined and, after clinical investigation, the presence of seborrhea, lesions on the tip of the ear, skin peeling, exaggerated nail growth, perilabial ulcer was noted, and direct examination of the ulcers was performed, which demonstrated the presence of amastigote forms of Leishmania sp. and the animal was euthanized.

TAXONOMIC STUDY OF FRESHWATER ALGAE FROM WATER BODIES IN HALLOKI VILLAGE, LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Halloki village Lahore was explored for freshwater algae and 7 samples were collected from different sites (Freshwater ponds, marshy areas, irrigated channels, watered field, road side streams, etc) during October 2020 to April 2021. Total nineteen genera and thirty four species of algae belonging to three kingdoms; Monera, Protista and Protoctista were recorded for the very first time from Halloki village Lahore, Pakistan, rest of them have previously been reported other sites of Lahore (lil. cit). Kingdom Monera included one phylum Cyanophycota (8.82%) containing 1 class, 1 order, 2 families, 2 genera and 3 species i.e. Oscillatoria irrigua, O. tenuis and Anabaena aequalius. Kingdom Protista was found to be most abundant having three phyla; Volvophycota (29.40%), Euglenophycota (2.94%) and Bacillariophycota (29.41%) containing 4 classes, 6 orders, 11 families, 13 genera and 21 species i.e. Crucigenia quadrata, Closteridium lunula, Palmodictyon viride, P. varium, Cosmarium subcreantum, Closterium lanceolatum, C. acerosum, C. parvulum, C. cornu var. arcum, C. lunula var. lunula f. biconvexum, Euglena polymorpha, Cymbella affinis, Nitzchia vasnii, N. palea, Acanthes trigibba, Navicula disjuncta, N. microspora, N. exigua, Anomoeoneis exilis, Synedra ulna and Melosira varaians. Kingdom Protoctista included one phylum Chlorophycota (29.40%) containing 2 classes Ulvophyceae (11.76%) and Zynemophyceae (17.64%) respectively, 4 orders, 4 families, 4 genera and 10 species i.e. Microspora ameona, M. crassior, M. pachyderma, Ulothrix subconstricta, Oedogonium nodulosum, Spirogyra condensata, S. aplanospora, S. intorta, S. bullata and S. acquinoctialis.

TAXONOMIC STUDIES OF FRESH WATER ALGAE FROM CHISHTIAN CITY, DISTRICT BHAWALNAGAR

Chishtian city was being explored for the collection of fresh water algae in the present study and for those purpose 12 samples of fresh algae from different areas was being collected. From those samples total 28 species was being collected that belong to 16 genera, 11 families, 7 orders and total 4 phylum including, Cyanophycota, Volvocophycota, Bacillariophycota and Chlorophycota. Those samples were being collected from September 2019 to December 2019. After they were classified and identified taxonomically upto species level by using Shameel classification [25,26]. Those 28 species that are being obtained in the total research work: Kingdom Monera has been acknowledged with phylum one; Cyanophycota that omits two classes, two orders, two families four genera and eight species that were following; Chroococus turgidus, Merismopedia punctate, Oscillatoria rubescens, O. priencp, O. tenuis, O. ornate, Spirulina gigantea and Arthospira platensis. Kingdom Protista has been identified with two phylum; Volvocophycota and Bacillariophycota with three classes, four orders, eight families, 11 genera and 18 species which were following; Hydrodictyon reticulatum, Scenedesmus armatus, S. dimorphus, S. bijuga, Cosmerium botrytis, C. microsphinctum, C. pseudopyramiolatum, Closterium turgidum, Fragilaria ulna, F. crotonensis, Ghomphonemia ghosea, Navicula exigua, Nitzschia acicularis, Gyrosigma acuminatum, G. scalproides, Cymbella ventricosa, Cyclotella operculata, C. meneghiniana. Kingdom protoctista have one phylum; Chlorophycota that have 1 class, one order, one family and two species that are following, Spirogyra pratensis and S. acquinoctialis.

Bioactive Natural Products against Systemic Arterial Hypertension: A Past 20-Year Systematic and Prospective Review.

Background Systemic arterial hypertension is one of the most common cardiovascular risks, corresponding to 45% of deaths involving CVDs. The use of natural products, such as medicinal plants, belongs to a millennial part of human therapeutics history and has been employed as an alternative anti-hypertensive treatment. Objective The present review aims to prospect some natural products already experimentally assayed against arterial hypertension through scientific virtual libraries and patent documents over the past 20 years. Search strategy. This is a systematic review of the adoption of the PRISMA protocol and a survey of the scientific literature that synthesizes the results from published articles between 2001 and 2020 concerning the use of medicinal plants in the management of hypertension, including which parts of the plant or organism are used, as well as the mechanisms of action underlying the anti-hypertensive effect. Furthermore, a technological prospection was also carried out in patent offices from different countries in order to check technologies based on natural products claimed for the treatment or prevention of hypertension. Inclusion criteria. Scientific articles where a natural product had been experimentally assayed for anti-hypertensive activity (part of plants, plant extracts, and products derived from other organisms) were included. Data extraction and analysis. The selected abstracts of the articles and patent documents were submitted to a rigorous reading process. Those articles and patents that were not related to anti-hypertensive effects and claimed potential applications were excluded from the search. Results Eighty specimens of biological species that showed anti-hypertensive activity were recovered, with 01 representative from the kingdom Fungi and 02 from the kingdom Protista, with emphasis on the families Asteraceae and Lamiaceae, with 6 representatives each. Leaves and aerial parts were the most used parts of the plants for the extraction of anti-hypertensive products, with maceration being the most used extraction method. Regarding phytochemical analyses, the most described classes of biomolecules in the reviewed works were alkaloids, terpenes, coumarins, flavonoids, and peptides, with the reduction of oxidative stress and the release of NO among the mechanisms of action most involved in this process. Regarding the number of patent filings, China was the country that stood out as the main one, with 813 registrations. Conclusion The anti-hypertensive activity of natural products is still little explored in Western countries. Besides, China and India have shown more results in this area than other countries, confirming the strong influence of traditional medicine in these countries.

Structural insights into DNMT5-mediated ATP-dependent high-fidelity epigenome maintenance

Epigenetic evolution occurs over million-year timescales in Cryptococcus neoformans and is mediated by DNMT5, the first maintenance type cytosine methyltransferase identified in the fungal or protist kingdoms, the first dependent on adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and the most hemimethyl-DNA-specific enzyme known. To understand these novel properties, we solved cryo-EM structures of CnDNMT5 in three states. These studies reveal an elaborate allosteric cascade in which hemimethylated DNA binding first activates the SNF2 ATPase domain by a large rigid body rotation while the target cytosine partially flips out of the DNA duplex. ATP binding then triggers striking structural reconfigurations of the methyltransferase catalytic pocket to enable cofactor binding, completion of base flipping, and catalysis. Bound unmethylated DNA does not open the catalytic pocket and is instead ejected upon ATP binding, driving high fidelity. This unprecedented chaperone-like, enzyme-remodeling role of the SNF2 ATPase domain illuminates how energy is used to enable faithful epigenetic memory.

PHẠM VI CỦA PHÂN GIỚI ĐỘNG VẬT NGUYÊN SINH (PROTOZOA) TRONG NHÂN CHUẨN ĐƠN BÀO

According to the five-kingdom system, all unicellular eukaryotes are classified under the kingdom Protista, and multicellular eukaryotes contain only Animals, Plants, and Fungi. This classification is generally not accepted by zoologists. Many zoological textbooks still classify Animals into two large groups: Protozoa and Metazoa. However, the criterion for selecting Protozoa is the specific digestive system of heterotrophic nutrition for animals, thus, the range of Protozoa is often wide, includes many different, far related groups in unicellular eukaryotes. The entire eukaryotic phylogenetic tree (both unicellular and multicellular) built on molecular sequence comparisons of recent genetics indicates that only a few single-celled eukaryotic groups have phylogenetic relationship with the ancestor of multicellular eukaryotes in the animal kingdom. This situation forces a narrowing of the range of protozoan groups. According to principle (1) Kingdom taxa must include all groups of organisms that are monophyletic, i.e. have the same root in the phylogenetic tree of eukaryotes. This principle holds for all taxa above species. (2) Inheriting the traditional perception of considering Animals, Fungi and Plants (including unicellular and multicellular) as kingdom taxons. Protozoa includes 3 groups Choanoflagellata, Filasterea and Ichthyosporea. The article also updates the morphological, biological and taxonomic characteristics of these three groups.

Elucidating carbohydrate metabolism in Euglena gracilis: Reverse genetics-based evaluation of genes coding for enzymes linked to paramylon accumulation

Euglena gracilis is a eukaryotic single-celled and photosynthetic organism grouped under the kingdom Protista. This phytoflagellate can accumulate the carbon photoassimilate as a linear β-1,3-glucan chain called paramylon. This storage polysaccharide can undergo degradation to provide glucose units to obtain ATP and reducing power both in aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions. Our group has recently characterized an essential enzyme for accumulating the polysaccharide, the UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (Biochimie vol 154, 2018, 176–186), which catalyzes the synthesis of UDP-glucose (the substrate for paramylon synthase). Additionally, the identification of nucleotide sequences coding for putative UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylases suggests the occurrence of an alternative source of UDP-glucose. In this study, we demonstrate the active involvement of both pyrophosphorylases in paramylon accumulation. Using techniques of single and combined knockdown of transcripts coding for these proteins, we evidenced a substantial decrease in the polysaccharide synthesis from 39 ± 7 μg/106 cells determined in the control at day 21st of growth. Thus, the paramylon accumulation in Euglena gracilis cells decreased by 60% and 30% after a single knockdown of the expression of genes coding for UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase, respectively. Besides, the combined knockdown of both genes resulted in a ca. 65% reduction in the level of the storage polysaccharide. Our findings indicate the existence of a physiological dependence between paramylon accumulation and the partitioning of sugar nucleotides into other metabolic routes, including the Leloir pathway’s functionality in Euglena gracilis.

Symphony of minimalism: peculiar endosymbiosis of mycoplasmas and protists

Symphony of minimalism: peculiar endosymbiosis of mycoplasmas and protists

Subtypes identification and frequency of Blastocystis isolated from patients in Kashan, Central Iran

Aims: Blastocystis species are one of the most common enteric protist infections in humans and some animals worldwide. Molecular studies have shown that there is a high level of genetic variation among Blastocystis isolates. The aim of this study was to identify the subtypes and frequency of Blastocystis isolates in patients who referred to the medical diagnostic laboratories in Kashan, Central Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1118 patients, from December 2017 to June 2018. Fecal specimens were evaluated by the microscopic examination. Positive samples were cultivated in Robinson media. After massive growth and DNA extraction, a 550 bp from the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for subtype identification. The PCR products have been sequenced, identified, and compared at the NCBI site. The results were analyzed using the SPSS software version 16. Results: The frequency of Blastocystis sp. was 8.58%, (confidence interval = 6.94%–10.22%) from which 76% were men and 24% were women. Of the 51 PCR positive samples, ST3 (41.2%), ST1 (39.2%), ST2 (11.8%), and 7.8% isolates were identified as mixed. ST3 and ST1 have been more common. The highest levels of infection were observed in the food-handlers, the age group of 31–40, and people with high school education. Conclusion: The results showed that the frequency of Blastocystis was lower than other studies and the most common Blastocystis subtype was subtype 3, followed by subtype 1, and subtype 2.

Cultivando protozoários: a importância da experimentação no ensino de ciências e biologia

Due to the precarious Brazilian public education, experimental classes which use materials that are of daily use of the students are an excellent alternative for reaching a better quality of the learning process. Therefore, the main objective of this work was to teach the content concerning biologic aspects of the Kingdom Protoctista through an experiment that used low cost and accessible materials. The experiment was accomplished with students of a public school in the city of Patos, PB. Primarily, the content was exposed theoretically, and later the experimentation was attained, which consisted of cultivating protozoans present in lettuce leaves and subsequently observing the culture through microscopes. The experiment enabled the students to understand the nature of the protozoans, in addition of learning about the importance of sanitizing food properly before consuming it, therefore contextualizing the content with the students' lives, which improves the quality of the teaching-learning process. Thus, the importance of this methodology is emphasized, along with the necessity of investing in Brazilian education, taking into consideration that the teacher in this context is responsible for shaping the teaching of the content according to the adverse conditions of the educational system.

Achlya sp. Dermatitis in an American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

Oomycetes are water moulds in the kingdom Protista and are not considered true fungi due to the structural lack of chitin and ergosterol. Many oomycetes are pathogenic, such as Pythium spp., and many fish are prone to Saprolegnia spp. infections, particularly in stressful farming situations. A juvenile American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) was presented for necropsy examination with white, gelatinous, raised lesions over ulcerated regions of skin on the limbs and tail. The alligator came from a hatchery with age-divided enclosures, and several of the animals within the same enclosure showed similar lesions. Numerous hyphae with non-parallel walls and sparse, non-dichotomous branching were observed histologically on Gomori's methenamine silver staining within the ulcers. Although no organisms were detectable via polymerase chain reaction testing of fresh or formalin-fixed tissues, the organism was cultured and sequenced as an Achlya sp., an infrequently identified oomycete. To the author's knowledge, this is the first description of an oomycete infection within the class Reptilia.

Coordinated Metacommunity Assembly and Spatial Distribution of Multiple Microbial Kingdoms within a Lake.

Freshwater planktonic communities comprise a tremendous diversity of microorganisms. This study investigated the distribution patterns of microbial kingdoms (bacteria, fungi, protists, and microbial metazoans) within a lake ecosystem. Water samples were collected from 50 sites along the shoreline in a lake during an early eutrophication period, and MiSeq sequencing was performed with different marker genes. Metacommunity analyses revealed a bimodal occupancy-frequency distribution and a Clementsian gradient persisting throughout all microbial kingdoms, suggesting similar regional processes in all kingdoms. Variation partitioning revealed that environmental characteristics, macrophyte/macroinvertebrate composition, space coordinates, and distance-based Moran's eigenvector maps (dbMEM) together could explain up to 29% of the community variances in microbial kingdoms. Kingdom synchrony results showed strong couplings between kingdoms (R2 ≥ 0.31), except between Fungi and Metazoa (R2 = 0.09). Another variation partitioning revealed that microbial kingdoms could well explain their community variances up to 73%. Interestingly, the kingdom Protista was best synchronized with the other kingdoms. A correlation network showed that positive associations between kingdoms outnumbered the negative ones and that the kingdom Protista acted as a hub among kingdoms. Module analysis showed that network modules included multi-kingdom associations that were prevalent. Our findings suggest that protists coordinate community assembly and distribution of other kingdoms, and inter-kingdom interactions are a key determinant in shaping their community structures in a freshwater lake.

Real time history of 21st century bacteria: giants and martians

We denominate "21st century bacteria" two types of strange and amazing creatures from the kingdom Protista, discovered between the last years of the twentieth and the present days: the giant bacteria and those with a possible Martian origin. Searching for them, bold investigators have travelled to distant and hostile lands, desolate places and deep waters, performing a kind of investigation that we only can describe as "investigation-adventure". This paper presents expeditions to the Red Sea, fishing the Epulopiscium; to Lake Mono, searching a bacteria able to growth with arsenic; to the Antarctic Circle, finding a meteorite with petrified alien microorganisms; and… to the quiet laboratory, a not less dangerous place.

The state of knowledge of the parasitic fauna of the pike Esox lucius Linnaeus, 1758 in Poland in the 50th anniversary of the publication of the Catalogue of Parasitic Fauna of Poland. Part II. Parasites of Cyclostomes and Fish by Jadwiga Grabda

Parasites of pike Esox lucius from freshwater and brackish water in Poland are listed. This checklist summarized data published in Catalogue of Parasitic Fauna of Poland. Part II. Parasites of Cyclostomes and Fish by Jadwiga Grabda and later data from original studies. Parasites are listed alphabetically in higher taxa with their location in host and distribution in Polish waters with references. Parasites belonging to the higher taxa as Protista – 11 records, Myxosporea – 6, Digenea – 17, Monogenea – 2, Cestoda – 9, Nematoda – 7, Acanthocephala – 7, Hirudinida – 5, Mollusca – unidentified glochidia, Crustacea – 6, were found. The most frequently noted parasites have been Azygia lucii, Diplostomum spp., Tylodelphys clavata, Tetraonchus monenteron, Triaenophorus nodulosus, Raphidascaris acus and Ergasilus sieboldi.

Seaweed allergy

Seaweeds or macroalgae are multicellular marine autotrophic (photosynthetic) organisms. They are globally distributed and can be found in every climate zone. These eukaryotic organisms are not plants, animals, or fungi and belong to the kingdom Protista. Traditionally, seaweeds are classified into 3 groups on the basis of pigmentation: red (Rodophyta), brown (Phaeophyceae), and green (Chlorophyta).1 Edible seaweeds are very popular in East Asia, particularly in Korea, China, and Japan. Some of the most common species used in food preparation include the red seaweeds Porphyra (Nori) for sushi wrappings, Palmaria Palmata (dulse), and Chondrus crispus (Irish moss) as a thickening agent.

Milky-White Bloom in Lake Oshima-ohnuma Caused by an Algae-lysing Protist, <i>Asterocaelum</i> sp.

Milky-White Bloom in Lake Oshima-ohnuma Caused by an Algae-lysing Protist, <i>Asterocaelum</i> sp.

Toxoplasmose animal no Brasil

Toxoplasmosis is caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite which belongs to the kingdom Protista, phylum Apicomplexa, order Eucoccidiida and family Sarcocystidae. It is an obligate intracellular coccidian, which naturally infects human beings, w ild and domestic animals, as well as birds. It is a geographically wide spread infection and it depends on some factors such as cli mate, social-economic and cultural conditions. The definitive hosts are members of the family Felidae. The infection occurs by the ingestion of oocysts, tachyzoites or bradyzoites, and in some species it also happens by transplacental and transmammary transmission. It is a disease of great importance for Public Health, because the alterations it causes in human fetuses, and co ncerning animal production due to abortion losses. Laboratorial diagnostics may be done by the demonstration of coccidian (parasitologic al), by indirect methods (immunologic) and by methods of molecular biology. This disease has treatment, but currently there are no vaccines for human toxoplasmosis, only a commercial vaccine for ovine and studies with other animal species.