Anaeramoeba
Genus of amoebae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anaeramoeba is a genus of free-living anaerobic eukaryotes, first described in 2017.
Stairs et al. 2021[1]
Táborský, Pánek & Čepička in Táborský et al. 2017
Táborský, Pánek & Čepička in Táborský et al. 2017
| Anaeramoeba | |
|---|---|
| |
| Differential interference contrast micrograph of A. flamelloides, scale bar: 10 μm. Inlet shows a transmission electron micrograph of the cell, including MROs (M); scale bar: 0.5 μm. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Metamonada |
| Phylum: | Anaeramoebae Stairs et al. 2021[1] |
| Family: | Anaeramoebidae Táborský, Pánek & Čepička in Táborský et al. 2017 |
| Genus: | Anaeramoeba Táborský, Pánek & Čepička in Táborský et al. 2017 |
| Type species | |
| Anaeramoeba flamelloides Táborský, Pánek & Čepička in Táborský et al. 2017 | |
| Species | |
| |
Description
As the name implies, Anaeramoeba are anaerobic amoeboid organisms which form a fan-like shape similar to that of Flamella. At least two species can also sometimes assume flagellate forms; with either two or four flagella. They contain double-membrane bound organelles called hydrogenosomes, which is a type of mitochondria-related organelles (MROs) and assumed to be derived from mitochondria,[1] to perform metabolism in anaerobic environments. The hydrogenosomes in Anaeramoeba are closely associated with H2-consuming bacterial symbionts, which are enveloped by Anaeramoeba host's membrane called symbiosome.[2]
Discovery and classification
Anaeramoeba specimens were first isolated in 2017, from shallow marine sediments around the world.[3] Despite the similarities to Flamella in both morphology and environment, genetic analyses found that Anaeramoeba do not belong within Amoebozoa.[3] Instead, Anaeramoeba represents a newly identified protist belonging to metamonads, as a close relative to parabasalids.[1]
Symbiosome in Anaeramoeba
Anaeramoeba's symbiosome is a unique highly elaborate membrane-bound structure that houses their bacterial symbionts in close association with their hydrogenosomes that allow efficient metabolic syntrophy between the hosts and the symbionts.[2] In A. flamelloides BUSSELTON2, the symbionts are suggested to be Desulfobacteraceae, that uses the hydrogenosome products from the host, including H2, acetate and propionate,[2] together with sulfate that they acquire through deep membrane-pits of the symbiosome to the cell-surrounding environment, in their metabolic pathways.[2]
