Txikispora
{{Short description|Genus of unicellular protists}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Speciesbox
| display_parents = 4
| genus = Txikispora
| species = philomaios
| authority = Urrutia, Feist & Bass
}}
Txikispora is a genus of parasitic protists made up solely of the species Txikispora philomaios. It is the only genus in the family Txikisporidae, which is a member of the class Filasterea and is closely related to Ministeriidae. The lineage was first described in 2022 based on specimens identified from the United Kingdom. The species represents a previously undiscovered type of life that diverged extremely early from animals and fungi.{{Cite news |date=28 January 2022 |title=Txikispora philomaios, a parasite that will help to explain the origin of animal multicellularity |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220128100733.htm |access-date=29 March 2024 |work=ScienceDaily}} It parasitizes amphipods in the genera Echinogammarus and Orchestia and most frequently infects their hemolymph and hemocytes.
Description
The species goes through several stages of life. The first is as a single spherical cell, called the monokaryotic stage.{{Sfn|Urrutia|Feist|Bass|2022|p=17}} It usually has a cell wall, and is characterized by a nucleus with a small nucleolus on its periphery and many small mitochondria with diverse lipoid structures.{{Sfn|Urrutia|Feist|Bass|2022|p=8-9}} The next stage is multinucleated, and consists of four cells joined together and is somewhat larger.{{Sfn|Urrutia|Feist|Bass|2022|p=17}} It appears to have three cells, with the fourth often hidden from view. The unicellular stage is often split off from the multicellular one.{{Sfn|Urrutia|Feist|Bass|2022|p=8-9}}
Taxonomy and etymology
The Filozoan species was described in 2022 in the Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology by Ander Urrutia, Stephen Feist, and David Bass.{{Sfn|Urrutia|Feist|Bass|2022|p=1}} The new generic and specific combination Txikispora philomaios means "May-loving spore", in reference to its presence in collections during only a few days during the month of May. Txikispora is derived from a Basque word: {{Lang|eu|txiki}} meaning "small" and a latin one {{Lang|eu|spora}} meaning "spore". The specific epithet philomaios is: {{Lang|eu|philo}} meaning "love" and {{Lang|eu|maios}} meaning "May".{{Sfn|Urrutia|Feist|Bass|2022|p=17}}
A Rel homology region (RHR) was identified in Txikispora philomaios. The characteristics of the RHR of Txikispora philomaios was most similar to Tunicaraptor unikontum, suggesting a phylogenetic relationship between the two species.{{Sfn|Leger|Ros-Rocher|Najle|2022|p=5}}
Ecology
Txikispora philomaios parasitizes the amphipod genera Echinogammarus and Orchestia, but is not found in the related genera Gammarus and Melita. Individuals infected by the parasite displayed yellowing tegument, a less rigid carapace, less visible internal organs, and increased lethargy and unresponsiveness.{{Sfn|Urrutia|Feist|Bass|2022|p=7}} Txikispora philomaios specifically infects the hemolymph and individual hemocytes, with up to ten parasites found in a single hemocyte. Other organs that are infected are the hepatopancreas, testes, and ovaries.{{Sfn|Urrutia|Feist|Bass|2022|p=8}}
References
{{Reflist}}
= Bibliography =
- {{Cite journal |last1=Leger |first1=Michelle |last2=Ros-Rocher |first2=Nuria |last3=Najle |first3=Sebastian |date=2022 |title=Rel/NF-kB Transcription Factors Emerged at the Onset of Opisthokonts |url=https://academic.oup.com/gbe/article/14/1/evab289/6499270 |journal=Genome Biology and Evolution |volume=14 |issue=1 |doi=10.1093/gbe/evab289|pmid=34999783 |pmc=8763368 |hdl=10261/272058 |hdl-access=free }}
- {{Cite journal |last1=Urrutia |first1=Ander |last2=Feist |first2=Stephen |last3=Bass |first3=David |date=2022 |title=Txikispora philomaios n. sp., n. g., a micro-eukaryotic pathogen of amphipods, reveals parasitism and hidden diversity in Class Filasterea |url=https://pure.hud.ac.uk/ws/files/42353577/Accepted_manuscript.pdf |journal=Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology |volume=69 |issue=2 |pages=e12875 |doi=10.1111/jeu.12875|pmid=34726818 }}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q126597094|from2= Q126597083|from3= Q126597109}}
Category:Taxa described in 2022