Photoparasitism as an Intermediate State in the Evolution of Apicomplexan Parasites

0538949 - BC 2021 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Oborník, Miroslav
Photoparasitism as an Intermediate State in the Evolution of Apicomplexan Parasites.
Trends in Parasitology. Roč. 36, č. 9 (2020), s. 727-734. ISSN 1471-4922. E-ISSN 1471-5007
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA18-13458S; GA MŠMT(CZ) EF16_019/0000759
Institutional support: RVO:60077344
Keywords : molecular phylogeny * chromera-velia * life-cycle * n. sp. * dinoflagellate * morphology * ultrastructure * endosymbioses * apicoplast * relatives
OECD category: Cell biology
Impact factor: 9.014, year: 2020
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S147149222030163X?via%3Dihub

Despite the benefits of phototrophy, many algae have lost photosynthesis and have converted back to heterotrophy. Parasitism is a heterotrophic strategy, with apicomplexans being among the most devastating parasites for humans. The presence of a nonphotosynthetic plastid in apicomplexan parasites suggests their phototrophic ancestry. The discovery of related phototrophic chromerids has unlocked the possibility to study the transition between phototrophy and parasitism in the Apicomplexa. The chromerid Chromera velia can live as an intracellular parasite in coral larvae as well as a free-living phototroph, combining phototrophy and parasitism in what I call photoparasitism. Since early-branching apicomplexans live extracellularly, their evolution from an intracellular symbiont is unlikely. In this opinion article I discuss possible evolutionary trajectories from an extracellular photoparasite to an obligatory apicomplexan parasite.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0316700