title: Chlorella: 125 years of the green survivalist.
abstract: Chlorella, the archetype of unicellular green algae, is a high-performance primary producer in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Under the simple spherical morphology of Chlorella, many other 'green balls' unfolded as independent phylogenetic lineages as a result of convergent evolution. By contrast, green algae with strikingly different phenotypes were unmasked as close relatives of Chlorella by modern molecular techniques. Here, we point to the increasing impact of these diverse protists on ecology, evolution, and biotechnology in the light of integrative taxonomy.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, D-16775 Stechlin, Germany. Electronic address: krie@igb-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Lothar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Krienitz
authors.affiliation: Plant Molecular Physiology, Department Biology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Volker A R
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Huss
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity, University of Duisburg-Essen, D-45141 Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bock
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D001709:Biotechnology; D002708:Chlorella / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics; D004463:Ecology; D010802:Phylogeny
keywords: biodiversity; green algae; mass cultivation; microphyte phylogeny; model organism; phenotypic adaptation