title: Cell biology of chromerids: autotrophic relatives to apicomplexan parasites.
abstract: Chromerida are algae possessing a complex plastid surrounded by four membranes. Although isolated originally from stony corals in Australia, they seem to be globally distributed. According to their molecular phylogeny, morphology, ultrastructure, structure of organellar genomes, and noncanonical pathway for tetrapyrrole synthesis, these algae are thought to be the closest known phototrophic relatives to apicomplexan parasites. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of cell biology and evolution of this novel group of algae, which contains only two formally described species, but is apparently highly diverse and virtually ubiquitous in marine environments.
authors.affiliation: Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Třeboň, Czech Republic. Electronic address: obornik@paru.cas.cz.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oborník
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lukeš
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016782:Apicomplexa / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D063546:Apicoplasts / Q000469:parasitology*; D003585:Cell Biology; D006801:Humans
keywords: Apicomplexa; Apicoplast; Chromerida; Evolution; Parasitism; Plastid