Studies on the diversity of the endosymbiotic algae in ciliates

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25840141
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biodiversity/Systematics
• Research Institution: Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: HOSHINA Ryo 長浜バイオ大学, バイオサイエンス学部, 助手 (40373089)
• Research Collaborator: OGURA Atsushi 長浜バイオ大学, バイオサイエンス学部, 准教授 (60465929) ; KUSUOKA Yasushi 滋賀県立琵琶湖博物館, 研究部, 専門学芸員 (80359265) ; SUZAKI Toshinobu 神戸大学, 大学院理学研究科, 准教授 (00187692)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 共生藻 / 植物化 / 継続的共生 / ズークロレラ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It has been thought that the symbiotic associations between ciliates and their endosymbiotic algae are temporary. We executed continuous sampling of the ciliates and their algal DNA analyses. In consequence, we found that comparatively large number of ciliate species maintain their own algae, and the small number of algal species are shared among different host species. It was found some differences, e.g., nucleotide substitutions in spacer region, in the same species of algae among different host species, which may also indicate the persistent symbioses.

Free Research Field

細胞内共生