Disease relevance of Cryptophyta

• The XAN-H protein has 85% amino acid sequence identity to the Arabidopsis CH42 protein, 69% identity to the Euglena CCS protein, 70% identity to the Cryptomonas BchA and Olisthodiscus CssA proteins, as well as 49% identity to the Rhodobacter BchI subunit of Mg-chelatase [1].
• The region of the plastid genome containing the genes for ribosomal proteins S12 and S7 and the elongation factor Tu (corresponding to three of the four str operon genes of Escherichia coli) was investigated in the unicellular marine alga Cryptomonas [2].

High impact information on Cryptophyta

• Nucleotide sequence of the genes for ribosomal protein S4 and tRNA(Arg) from the chlorophyll c-containing alga Cryptomonas phi [3].
• Two cDNA sequences from G. theta and one from Cryptomonas encoding proteins homologous to type 1 opsins were identified [4].
• A second rhodopsin from G. theta (GtR2) and the one from Cryptomonas have noncarboxylated residues at the donor position as in known sensory rhodopsins [4].
• To increase the database of protein-coding genes we sequenced the cytosolic form of heat-shock protein Hsp90 from a broad variety of previously unsampled eukaryote groups: protozoan flagellates (phyla Choanozoa, Apusozoa, Cercozoa) and all three groups of chromists (Cryptophyta, Heterokonta, Haptophyta) [5].
• Here we characterized cDNAs of the nuclear genes encoding chloroplast and cytosolic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenases (GAPDH) from the two cryptomonads Pyrenomonas salina and Guillardia theta [6].

Biological context of Cryptophyta

• The katablepharids are a distant sister group of the Cryptophyta: A proposal for Katablepharidophyta divisio nova/ Kathablepharida phylum novum based on SSU rDNA and beta-tubulin phylogeny [7].

Associations of Cryptophyta with chemical compounds

• The small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase is plastid-encoded in the chlorophyll c-containing alga Cryptomonas phi [8].
• In Cryptomonas 58 a staining method using ruthenium red reveals a uniform and regular substructure within the fabric of the trichocyst ribbon [9].
• Anaerobic benthic sediments at 20 to 30 m depths were characterized by a third pigment signature dominated by a carotenoid, tentatively identified as alloxanthin from planktonic cryptomonads, and by phaeophytin b from senescent green algae [10].

Gene context of Cryptophyta

• We therefore conclude that the katablepharids should be a group equivalent to the Cryptophyta and propose Katablepharidophyta divisio nova (ICBN)/Kathablepharida phylum novum (ICZN) [7].
• The presence of a nucleomorph hsp70 gene is a common feature of Cryptophyta and Chlorarachniophyta [11].
• By comparison, ferredoxin levels varied only slightly in cells of Cryptomonas sp. provided either 100 nM or 1 000 nM Fe [12].

References