Saccharomycomorpha
Genus of yeast-like protists
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Saccharomycomorpha is a genus of non-flagellated protists with a rare yeast-like appearance, containing the single species Saccharomycomorpha psychra. It is the only genus of the family Saccharomycomorphidae, within the cercozoan order Glissomonadida.[1] Before its description in 2021 it was known as clade T, recovered from environmental DNA in previous phylogenetic analyses.[2]
| Saccharomycomorpha | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Sar |
| Clade: | Rhizaria |
| Phylum: | Cercozoa |
| Class: | Sarcomonadea |
| Order: | Glissomonadida |
| Family: | Saccharomycomorphidae Feng, He, Jiang, Zhang & Yu, 2021 |
| Genus: | Saccharomycomorpha Feng, He, Jiang, Zhang & Yu, 2021 |
| Species: | S. psychra |
| Binomial name | |
| Saccharomycomorpha psychra Feng, He, Jiang, Zhang & Yu, 2021[1] | |
| Type strain | |
| CPCC 300049 | |
Morphology and behavior
Saccharomycomorpha psychra is a unicellular protist composed of round unflagellated cells, which is a unique morphological characteristic among Glissomonadida. It is able to withstand temperatures of 4 °C and its optimal growth is mainly 20 °C, making it a psychrophilic organism.[1]
Ecology
The species was isolated from lichen and moss found in both the Arctic (Svalbard) and maritime Antarctica (King George Island), respectively. These areas have a flora mainly consisting of lichens and mosses. Although glissomonads are mainly bacterivorous, Saccharomycomorpha is perhaps an osmotrophic or parasitic species, since it is able to grow in a culture medium without the presence of bacteria.[1]