Ultrastructure and 18S rDNA sequence analysis of Wobblia lunata gen. et sp. nov., a new heterotrophic flagellate (Stramenopiles, Incertae sedis).
A new heterotrophic flagellate Wobblia lunata gen. et sp. nov. is described. This organism usually attaches to the substratum showing a wobbling motion, and sometimes glides on the substratum or swims freely in the medium. W. lunata has various features characteristic of the stramenopiles. These include a hairy flagellum with tripartite tubular hairs, a mitochondrion with tubular cristae, arrangement of flagellar apparatus components and a double helix in the flagellar transition zone. W. lunata shares a double helix with heterotrophic stramenopiles, including Developayella elegans, oomycetes, hyphochytrids, opalinids and proteromonads, and could be placed in the phylum Bigyra Cavalier-Smith. However, from 18S rDNA tree analysis, these organisms form two distantly-related clades in the stramenopiles, and Wobblia appears at the base of the stramenopiles. Evaluation of morphological features and comparison of 18S rDNA sequences indicate that W. lunata is a member of the stramenopiles, but it is distinct from any other stramenopiles so far described. Its phylogenetic position within the stramenopiles is uncertain and therefore W. lunata is described as a stramenopile incertae sedis.
Moriya
M
M
Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. mmoriya@sakura.cc.tsukuba.ac.jp
Nakayama
T
T
Inouye
I
I
D000818:Animals; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics*; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010933:Plankton / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D004275:DNA, Ribosomal