Electron microscopical investigations of a new species of the genus Sappinia (Thecamoebidae, Amoebozoa), Sappinia platani sp. nov., reveal a dictyosome in this genus (original) (raw)
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Phylogenetic position and notes on the ultrastructure of Sappinia diploidea (Thecamoebidae)
2007
Summary An unusual amoeba, Sappinia diploidea, possessing diplokaryonlike nuclear apparatus and a complex life cycle, was isolated from the bark of trees and a freshwater pond, identified and reinvestigated. The phylogenetic analysis based on SSU rRNA gene sequences shows close relatedness of this species to the members of the genus Thecamoeba. It suggests the existence of the monophyletic family Thecamoebidae,
Samples of the bark from a Sycamore tree at Andernach were transferred to NNagar plates. From a mixed population of various freeliving amoebae (FLA), few trophozoites of Thecamoeba terricola obviously harbouring intranuclear parasites were isolated. Since all of the original host amoebae were prone to death by massive infections, spores were successfully transferred to a laboratory strain of T. quadrilineata which served as a substitute host of the parasites called “KTt1” and enabled all following studies. Electron microscopical studies confirmed the exclusive location of the parasites within the nucleus. After uptake by phagocytosis the spores get into the nucleus where they grow and develop over young stages within the endosome into large parasites occupying the whole interior of the nucleus while stretching the nuclear membrane. At this stage they differentiate into round or oval spores of 1.5 – 1.8 μm in diameter. The spores were enveloped by a double wall and contained in addit...