A hydrogenosome with a genome

摘要: Some anaerobic protozoa and chytridiomycete fungi possess membrane-bound organelles known as hydrogenosomes. Hydrogenosomes are about 1 micrometre in diameter so called because they produce molecular hydrogen1. It has been postulated that hydrogenosomes evolved from mitochondria by the concomitant loss of their respiration organellar genomes1,4, far no hydrogenosome found a genome1,2. Here we provide evidence for existence hydrogenosomal genome mitochondrial descent, show heterotrichous ciliate Nyctotherus ovalis possesses new type nuclear-encoded ‘iron-only’ hydrogenase enzyme.