Pirum gemmata explained

Pirum gemmata is a unicellular eukaryote that belongs to the Ichthyosporea clade, a group of protists closely related to animals. P. gemmata was isolated from the gut contents of a marine invertebrate, specifically the detritivorous peanut worm Phascolosoma agassizii.^[1]

Pirum gemmata’s growth under culture conditions, is through the development of a mature syncytial stage that undergoes sporogenesis and eventually releases endospores through one or more openings in the parent cell wall. Mature cells are multinucleated, with a cell wall, and can measure up to 200 μm. Endospores are amoeboid and some have pseudopod-like cell extensions.

Taxonomy

Pirum gemmata is a member of the Ichthyosporea clade, which is the earliest branching holozoan lineage.^{[2] [3]}

Applications

Pirum gemmata can easily be cultured axenically in marine broth medium. Given its phylogenetic position as a close unicellular relative of animals, P. gemmata could potentially provide important insights into the origin of multicellular animals.

Notes and References

1. Marshall. Wyth L.. Berbee. Mary L.. 2011-01-01. Facing Unknowns: Living Cultures (Pirum gemmata gen. nov., sp. nov., and Abeoforma whisleri, gen. nov., sp. nov.) from Invertebrate Digestive Tracts Represent an Undescribed Clade within the Unicellular Opisthokont Lineage Ichthyosporea (Mesomycetozoea). Protist. 162. 1. 33–57. 10.1016/j.protis.2010.06.002. 20708961.
2. Glockling. Sally L.. Marshall. Wyth L.. Gleason. Frank H.. 2013-08-01. Phylogenetic interpretations and ecological potentials of the Mesomycetozoea (Ichthyosporea). Fungal Ecology. 6. 4. 237–247. 10.1016/j.funeco.2013.03.005.
3. Torruella. Guifré. Mendoza. Alex de. Grau-Bové. Xavier. Antó. Meritxell. Chaplin. Mark A.. Campo. Javier del. Eme. Laura. Pérez-Cordón. Gregorio. Whipps. Christopher M.. Phylogenomics Reveals Convergent Evolution of Lifestyles in Close Relatives of Animals and Fungi. Current Biology. 25. 18. 2404–2410. 10.1016/j.cub.2015.07.053. 26365255. 2015. free.