Genomic footprints of a cryptic plastid endosymbiosis in diatoms.

Full Abstract

Diatoms and other chromalveolates are among the dominant phytoplankters in the world's oceans. Endosymbiosis was essential to the success of chromalveolates, and it appears that the ancestral plastid in this group had a red algal origin via an ancient secondary endosymbiosis. However, recent analyses have turned up a handful of nuclear genes in chromalveolates that are of green algal derivation. Using a genome-wide approach to estimate the "green" contribution to diatoms, we identified >1700 green gene transfers, constituting 16% of the diatom nuclear coding potential. These genes were probably introduced into diatoms and other chromalveolates from a cryptic endosymbiont related to prasinophyte-like green algae. Chromalveolates appear to have recruited genes from the two major existing algal groups to forge a highly successful, species-rich protist lineage.

Author information

Author/s: Moustafa, Ahmed (A); Beszteri, Bánk (B); Maier, Uwe G (UG); Bowler, Chris (C); Valentin, Klaus (K); Bhattacharya, Debashish (D);

Affiliation: Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.

Grants: R01ES013679 (Agency:NIEHS NIH HHS) ; T32 GM98629 (Agency:NIGMS NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: Science (New York, N.Y.) (Science), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Jun; vol 324 (issue 5935) : pp 1724-6

Dates: Created 2009/06/26; Completed 2009/07/10;

PMID: 19556510, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 7/24/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: Science. 2009 Jun 26;324(5935):1651-2. (PMID: 19556490)

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