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Comment
. 2017 Mar 20;27(6):R223-R225.
doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.02.010.

Protist Evolution: Stealing Genes to Gut It Out

David Moreira  1 , Purificación López-García  2
Affiliations
Comment

Protist Evolution: Stealing Genes to Gut It Out

David Moreira et al. Curr Biol. .

Abstract

The amount and evolutionary impact of horizontal gene transfer in eukaryotes remain contentious issues. A new phylogenomic study suggests that gene transfer from prokaryotes has contributed significantly to the adaptation and metabolic evolution of Blastocystis, the most widespread human gut eukaryotic parasite.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Horizontal gene transfers involved in nitrogen metabolism shared by Blastocystis and other eukaryotic unicellular parasites.
The metabolic diagram, based on Eme et al. [6], shows all enzymes acquired by Blastocystis from different donors. Those that are shared by several other distantly related protist parasites, the excavates Giardia and Trichomonas, the ichthyosporean Sphaeroforma, and the amoebozoan Entamoeba, are highlighted in yellow and the species where the respective enzyme is found are indicated.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

References

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