Microsporidia: Biology and Evolution of Highly Reduced Intracellular Parasites

摘要: Microsporidia are a large group of microbial eukaryotes composed exclusively obligate intracellular parasites other eukaryotes. Almost 150 years microsporidian research has led to basic understanding many aspects biology, especially their unique and highly specialized mode infection, where the parasite enters its host through projectile tube that is expelled at high velocity. Molecular biology genomic studies on microsporidia have also drawn attention unusual features, including core carbon metabolism genomes in size range bacteria. These seemingly simple were once thought be most primitive eukaryotes; however, we now know from molecular phylogeny they fungi. The fungal nature indicates undergone severe selective reduction permeating every level biology: From cell structures metabolism, genomics gene structure, reduced.