title: Ultrastructure and molecular phylogenetic position of a novel phagotrophic stramenopile from low oxygen environments: Rictus lutensis gen. et sp. nov. (Bicosoecida, incertae sedis).
abstract: A novel free free-living phagotrophic flagellate, Rictus lutensis gen. et sp. nov., with two heterodynamic flagella, a permanent cytostome and a cytopharynx was isolated from muddy, low oxygen coastal sediments in Cape Cod, MA, USA. We cultivated and characterized this flagellate with transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and molecular phylogenetic analyses inferred from small subunit (SSU) rDNA sequences. These data demonstrated that this organism has the key ultrastructural characters of the Bicosoecida, including similar transitional zones and a similar overall flagellar apparatus consisting of an x fiber and an L-shape microtubular root 2 involved in food capture. Although the molecular phylogenetic analyses were concordant with the ultrastructural data in placing R. lutensis with the bicosoecid clade, the internal position of this relatively divergent sequence within the clade was not resolved. Therefore, we interpret R. lutensis gen. et sp. nov. as a novel bicosoecid incertae sedis.
authors.affiliation: Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Program in Integrated Microbial Biodiversity, Departments of Botany and Zoology, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada. yubuki@interchange.ubc.ca
authors.forename: Naoji
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yubuki
authors.forename: Brian S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Leander
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Silberman
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015388:Organelles / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010100:Oxygen; D010802:Phylogeny; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D010100:Oxygen